Recommended Reviews

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  • 5.0 star rating
    7/26/2015
    1 check-in

    So I've had the Publican on my Chicago bucket list for over two years.  I now will be asking myself why why why did it take me so long to go here?  

    This place is so cool from the ambiance to the award winning food; you simply cannot lose dining here.  

    The dining room is like a hipsters paradise dream apartment/concert venue.  Beautifully decorated from the Edison bulb lighting all the way to the tasteful pig portraits aligning the walls.  

    The restaurant is very clean, pristine silverware, and cool glassware.  The center of the restaurant is family seating and surrounded by cool little enclosed booths along the outside.

    The food is every bit as spectacular as the restaurants decor.  I started with a side of super thick bacon.  It was like ham, bacon, and the perfect amount of fat congealing into SUPER BACON.  Needless to say my bacon world has forever been changed.  

    I then had the fried chicken.  Perfect white moist center and a flavorful crispy crusty outside.  This is what southerners dream about at night.  The fried pickles were a nice accompaniment and the food was plated thoughtfully and masterfully.  

    A couple of additional side notes:
    The bathrooms are really clean and really nice.  
    The fried chicken comes with a side of hot sauce.  Use caution it is for real spicy!
    Get a cup of coffee it is specifically blended for the Publican and it is delicious.

    Bottom line I highly recommend dining here.  I will definitely be back with family and friends.  5 stars, enough said!

  • 2.0 star rating
    7/30/2015

    Great food! We ate outdoors in front of the restaurant and the food really delivered! Compliments to all the chefs working their asses off to get food out to all the customers. The staff refilling water and bringing out/cleaning up plates were amazingly attentive and really working hard to keep everyone happy

    The waiter service however is another story, this is where I had to throw some stars to the ground.

    Our waiter was Antonio and seemed pleasant at the start. After we made our drink request and to start with the charcuterie board while we still looked at the menu, getting his attention was close to impossible. He would ask every table around us how their food was, if they needed anything, then turn and walk away. The times he did walk by, he never made eye contact. It was like I did something personally wrong to him and when it came time to actually order more food, my wife had to flag him down because he acted like we weren't even there. I'm pretty patient when it comes to being busy, but even when I forced eye contact because I wanted another drink, he would turn around and start walking the other way.

    Making the customer feel like we did last night was pretty bogus. We were treated like we broke a golden rule of his and he didn't have to attend to our table anymore because of it, even though we don't know what we did wrong. We left discussing how baffled we were on how he acted rather than how delicious the food was.

  • 1.0 star rating
    7/25/2015

    Let me be clear: I didn't eat at the Publican. I wanted to, though! I had made a reservation over a week in advance, and was really excited about it, because I've heard such great things. However, I get there to find that the place has been closed off for a private event - they didn't even think to call to let me know? When I had booked over a WEEK in advance? Hell, even a call an hour before the reservation would have been somewhat acceptable. I don't live near by, and it was a hassle to get there during rush hour. Completely unimpressed and extremely disappointed, this is not something I would expect from such a restaurant.

    It's a good thing they're located close to other great places to eat; my friend and I just walked over to Girl and the Goat and had dinner there instead. I may give the Publican another try and provide some information on the food, but this experience was super off putting.

  • 3.0 star rating
    7/13/2015
    1 check-in

    My first visit to The Publican in 2014 for brunch was amazing. If anyone asked me for recommendations, I definitely told them to stop here for brunch. I love their pancake, bacon, chicken dish. The bloodsausage was a comfort dish for me as well.

    My second visit in 2015 for dinner is quite the opposite. I dined with a friend and we opted for the chef's menu. Our server asked us if we had any dishes we wanted to try and we chose for them to decide. This was definitely a mistake on our part. I believe it was 6-7 dishes with a dessert. Overall, I couldn't figure out the theme of the dishes they brought out. Some seemed mediterranean inspired while others were not. Also, we didn't bring our appetite so we felt very wasteful! We were visiting, so didn't have a place to store and reheat the food!

    I definitely want to give it another chance, this time choosing the items instead!

  • 3.0 star rating
    6/23/2015

    I had this on my list to try and now I can say been there done that. We were STARVING and wanted to indulge in a sit down restaurant versus the taste of Randolph food fare. We wanted outdoor seating, but after finding out that would take 30 minutes (I totally get it...beautiful day out) we opted to eat inside. Most of the seating was communal which I'm not a fan of.

    My friend and I got the French toast and her boyfriend opted for the waffles. LOL...it's not a good sign when my friend took the first bite and said she didn't know if it was done or not. The French toast was a little too mushy for me. Not sure if it had to do with the big block of butter melting into it they had on top. Her boyfriend had the waffles and thought they were just okay. The eggs I ordered on the side were a little bland, so I had to spice them up with some salt and pepper.

    The saving grace is knowing I'm a come back because the desserts looked amazing and that's what I care about most. LOL...Will check them out for lunch/dinner in the future.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/13/2015

    Been here a couple of times now for brunch and for dinner!  Brunch was good but the dinner that we had recently was phenomenal!  6 guys and we ordered and ate for 20.  Stupid but oh so good!  We had sweetbread, pork, chicken, snail sausage, eggplant, corn...  all done up in their unique dishes.  Must check their menu out and go eat!

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/18/2015
    2 check-ins

    This was a very highly anticipated brunch visit that I planned well in advance. I had visited Chicago many times, but never got the chance to eat at the Publican. I'll just leave this review with the thousands of others.

    You'll notice that while there are tables strewn about the place, it's mostly communal table seating. If you want to request a private table, make sure to do so ahead of time. The decor overall is very homey, and I liked the feel of the large wooden tables and chairs. The waiter was very friendly and attentive, and refills of drinks came pretty regularly.

    I ordered the shwarma sausage , which came with mint, sunny-side egg, labneh, pita sections, and muhammara, It was a very nice dish, and the mint and labneh really brought it together. It was pretty much like a deconstructed shwarma sandwich, but it worked well in the bowl. That being said, the side of Publican maple bacon is unreal. It's fatty but not too greasy and just the right amount of chew, so that you don't feel like you're just eating pure fat. The maple syrup on top is very subtle and not too sweet, which perfectly complements the salty richness of the bacon.

    Great comfort food, friendly service, and reasonable prices. Can't complain here. I definitely need to come back for the dinner menu on one of my visits back to Chicago.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/27/2015 Updated review

    Has it been nearly five years since I first stepped foot in The Publican? Apparently it has, and it's due time for a review update. My first trip there, as an out-of-towner for a pre-dinner drink, was really eye-opening. Since then, I've often found myself comparing other restaurants to this place--trendy casual, robust beer menu, small plates of goodness, open kitchen, and convivial dining.

    The Publican has become a go-to restaurant to bring visitors. It's big, loud, tasty, takes reservations, serves damn good food, and open for an excellent brunch in addition to an excellent dinner, not to mention the pre- or post-meal watering hole. The pig art is surreal. So are the single washrooms, as is sitting in the troughs.

    Although I don't have a favorite dish here--unless you could the side of maple-glazed bacon as a dish--anything and everything you order will be tasty. I definitely recommend something something pork (pig art, if you recall). A ham plate or charcuterie for dinner? Yes. Biscuit and gravy with ample chorizo? Also yes. Aforementioned bacon? Ahem, I mean Burton's maple syrup-braised publican bacon? Oh heck yea. Enjoy.

    4.0 star rating
    9/20/2010 Previous review
    We stopped by here for pre-dinner drinks prior to going to Girl and the Goat (… Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    5/17/2015 Updated review
    2 check-ins

    Another NRA show in chicago and us in the restaurant business have unleashed our madness.

    A year has passed and I've had some fine foods and we still have returned. Boy am I glad.

    The oysters were to die for. Yes please.

    So was the peas and goat cheese. The Serrano ham.... Now I must stop, for I am having a moment.

    My life changed when I had the beef tartare. I was silent. I found some red onion, yellow onion, parsley, and I hit a dead end trying to discern the rest. I am thinking of it now. I want more. I was sad when I finished.

    The soft shell crab was absolutely delightful and the chicken liver pate fell short.

    Our server justin dropped by and casually left a plate of asparagus on the table, "chef had extra, enjoy". A yummy delight of fat asparagus with sesame seeds laying on a spicy pungent cheese.

    Our weight lifting colleague who is happily married to meat and potatoes finally got his chicken dish. I was actually excited to taste it. The plate looked engaging and warm, I did feel bad though, like I would for an abandoned child. I tasted the frites, fatty and dry. I tried to like it. I did.

    Then came the wild mushrooms with the roman gnocchi. I was starting to see stars.

    So, I was born again when I ate the lamb. The flavor was layered with melodies, that's the best I can come up with. I am still trying o find the words.  Until then, I have a year until my return with the goal of the chefs menu.

    4.0 star rating
    9/3/2014 Previous review
    Oysters. Variety. Martha's Vineyard. West coast

    Shaved root salad with blue cheese and hazelnuts …
    Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    5/14/2015
    1 check-in

    The hype is real, I've tasted it myself, definitely come here if you have a chance!  I am pretty sure we got lucky, but called 15 minutes before and had no issue getting a reservation for 3 at 10 AM!  We had the option of sitting inside or outside for brunch and opted for outside as it was such a gorgeous day!

    We started off with a buttermilk-glazed donut which I didn't appreciate as I am used to more fluffy airy donuts...This one has more of a coffee cake consistency and every bite tasted like a desert in my mouth, I was parched.  Oh, but they also give you the donut hole so yay?  Luckily things quickly improved with our main entrees.

    Chicken-fried skate sandwich with bibb lettuce, bread and butter pickles, bacon remoulade and green salad.  The skate was fried to perfection providing a nice crispy bite as you sink your teeth into perfectly cooked and tender skate!  The bun was also perfectly grilled as each bite was buttery and crisp, can you tell I like crunchy things?  Anyways, the seasoning of everything was on point and everything was absolutely delicious from the pickles to remoulade sauce and the green salad!

    Peekytoe crab scramble with dill, creme fraiche, pickled shallot and toast...OMG these EGGS were freaking amazing!  Never in my life have I tasted eggs soo freaking delicious, creamy, smooth, and fluffy, you have to try this!  The crab flavor wasn't very strong, more like essence of crab, and I would skip the toast as it was quite charred, but OMG those eggs!  Also, hash browns are a must, these had the perfect crispiness and texture I loved it especially with the ramps! Oh and can't forget Publican bacon, dude these aren't your measly strips of bacon that you find at the grocery store, but instead think chunks of pork belly covered with just the right amount of Burton's maple syrup to balance out the savoriness!

    Pork Loin Fettunta-think open faced sandwich/ fancy bruschetta but instead of traditional tomato and basil this one was topped with succulent pork loin, ramps, Parmesan, spinach and fried egg.

    Overall, freaking delicious eggs and cute atmosphere; skip the donut but the hash browns and bacon are a must! Oh, and maybe see if you can get less charred bread!  Lastly, I hope y'all are more fortunate to try the pork rinds, sadly the day we went the dehydrator was broken =( but I guess there is always next time!

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/19/2015

    I have a love hate sentiment when it comes to Paul Kahan. He is obviously one of the most decorated chefs in America and one of the most elusive and down to earth kinds. He's not some chef asshole who always wants to be on TV though he won James Beard's outstanding chef award. We went to the same college as well so gotta love that. I met and talked to him a couple of times and he's nice guy. I just didn't care for Blackbird a whole lot. However, I really do love his other restaurants -  Avec and The Publican. Love hate.. It is going towards love currently.

    I have been to Publican before but I never wrote a review. This last time, we were looking for midnight snacks after getting hammered at The Aviary. Walking down Fulton Market with my drunk friends, we decided to park ourselves for a little bit more at The Publican. I love The Publican compared to BB and Avec because I really didn't feel claustrophobic in there. Ha, Paul.. Finally invested in square footage? I love that I didn't have to eat elbows to assholes with the diners next to me and hearing about his botched colonoscopy. It was fanfreakingtastic. I could still see the communal tables setting are still present but when I dined there, it was fine. They also have these enclosed box booths that are way the opposite of communal as they're super private. I wanted to try that but we had five people and the box only fits four.

    The Publican is known for quality meats, and serves many things that the Publican Quality Meats store next door sells. I was too full and drunk to micromanage the ordering and my friend, the birthday boy, seemed to be into seafood tonight. I should have blurted out I wanted some ham, like the fermin serrano. However, what came were dozens of amazing oysters, a plate of fried cheese curds with sausage and fried oysters, shrimp ceviche, and a Tsu Kiji crudo sampler platter. Everything was tasting damn good though I myself was rather full from Aviary's pork rinds. I was too sleepy too and all I wanted was coffee.

    When my coffee came, it was the best coffee ever - my fave Intelligentsia. It came in a french press and the coffee aroma permeated through my nostrils and hit every bud of my smell sensory and it made me really happy. It was so strong and good that my friend on the other end of the table smelled it too and asked for a cup. The coffee was thick with fresh ground beans, so strong and so hot and had wished I was talking about a man especially after I poured cream into it. It was one of the best thing I could possibly drink after five or six cocktails earlier that night.

    Our server was a sweetheart. He sent us compliment from the chef of fried cauliflowers that were deeeeelicious. He was also so very patient with one of the most drunk friends I had at the table. She kept on saying "excuse me, I wanted some porridge." Each time he came, she asked and he kept on concocted a story that the porridge is cooking and telling her some updates about the progress or what shit happened to delay it. It was pretty comical and he was not in the least pissy though we were an obnoxious table and the last table that prevented them from closing. He was superb and was well endowed with tip at the end.

    Yes, so for now, it is love for One Off and Paul Kahan. I always love my Chicago restaurants and it is still the city with one of the best eats. Each time I am in town, I lose one word from my vocabulary - HUNGRY.

    Hungry? What's that?!

  • 3.0 star rating
    7/14/2015
    1 check-in

    If you're walking here, The Publican feels like an oasis of quality in the middle of disused cityspace.  The avant-garde nature of the pricey restaurant in a relatively dead location adds to the mystique.  My friends and I walked south from Milwaukee Ave, so if you Über, you'll be missing out on this experience!

    The décor is dim (but not dark) and interesting.  The seating is German-style, so be ready for that.  My friends and I had reservations on a weeknight, and it's a good thing.  Space is at a premium, but we had no problem getting seated or served.  As you might expect, the menu is pricey.  If you wan't more out of the experience (and to feel as if you got your money's worth), peruse the menu beforehand, and spend a few minutes reading up about the meats contained therein.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/11/2015
    1 check-in

    Monday Munday was uplifted by a feet-sweeping dinner at the Publican!

    I've heard many split reviews and I'm not sure why. Without doubt, this was one of the most fun and adventurous experiences I've had with the Chicago cuisine this year thus far. I can see how one might not fancy blood sausage and beef tongue, but even the most basic entrees were presented with local and quality ingredients that are more than enough to impress a date and/or visitors.

    Let's cut to the chase and present to you what our party of deux had: fermin serrano, spicy pork rinds, English peas, black back flounder, and porchetta. That respectively equates to three appetizer-type dishes and two entrees. Did we overdo it? Yes, but worry not, we took the leftovers to go and not a crumb was put to waste.

    Of the five, I highly recommend three. The fermin serrano is a rich, wild, Spanish ham with a fair amount of fat. The flavors were bursting when paired with the rye bread and goat cheese based butter. The butter was such a delicacy that I outright said I will eat it by itself. The flounder can be ordered in three sizes: small, medium, and large. Our small was surprisingly big. At approximately one foot long, measuring from the tip of the head to the tail, and perhaps six inches wide, it was more than enough. The server was considerate and helped us filet the fish by removing the bone. It was an impressive entree with the tasso ham, fava bean, green bean, potatoes, and lemon aioli in the ingredient mix. The seasoning were strong without covering the fish itself's natural flavors. But my favorite must go to the porchetta which is essentially five slabs of pork loin made with summer squash and stratiacella. The squash shied away from the sprinkled cheese's blatant presence, but the flavors were well-marinated into the braised pork leaving it especially refined and tender. Likewise, I really enjoyed how each slab had a thin rim of fat clinging to it.

    And let's not forget we also had two other items. The spicy pork rinds are great for sharing among a group of four. For two people, we felt compelled to finish it on the spot. Each bite came with a loud crunch because they were so crispy. The crisp would have been foregone if we didn't finish it in one sitting. Therefore, they are very good to snack on but [group] size matters. The English peas were not what we had in mind. It was very tangy and spiced with the heavy usage of cheese, horseradish, and lemon. I felt like we were scooping yogurt even though it was a snack of peas.  

    With all that said, a return is perceived. We luckily and effortlessly found parking across the street and service was a high level of excellence. We were not the only ones impressed, seeing as how they had a full house well into the evening on a Monday night. If you didn't catch the hint, that means reservations are highly recommended.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/9/2015

    Oh my!!!!!! DELICIOUS!!!!!!! We came for Sunday brunch. You have a combination of private enclosed  seating, open communal tables, and standing wait tables.  The atmosphere feels like a large beer hall. The numerous awards include James Beard for design.  I had the light fluffy waffles with the Publican bacon and a bowl of strawberries and blueberries, just delightful. Yummmmy!!!!

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/6/2015
    1 check-in

    You know how some restaurants get so hyped up that you have super high expectations for 'em, and then when you finally dine at said restaurant, you feel let down because your expectations aren't met? Well, that doesn't apply to The Publican, as it definitely lives up to the hype.

    Came here for brunch on a Sunday after making reservations the night before. The restaurant was packed (as expected), and we were seated at the communal tables (which I love). My friends and I were starving, so we definitely did not hold back when ordering. We ordered:

    -Bloody mary (w/ a Fist City pale ale accompaniment): the bloody mary here definitely packs some heat! It's not as thick or salty as other bloody mary's, so it's different in that sense. The beer accompaniment (your choice) is a nice touch.

    -Chef's selection of oysters: fresh and nicely shucked (no pieces of broken shells were in any of the oysters)

    -Chicken liver pate: if you're a pate lover, this is a must get. The texture isn't thick like most pate's; it has more of a mousse-y texture, which made it easy to spread and, I think, added to the amazing taste. Very smooth w/ a great, rich taste.

    -Frites w/ fried eggs: the fries were good, but nothing mind-blowing. Definitely can skip this side if you're on the fence about it.

    -Spicy pork rinds: absolutely fantastic! Crunchy, yet still light and airy. They were dusted w/ a powder that was salty and sour, but delicious (it reminded me of a ranch dressing powder). Highly recommended, especially if you like pork rinds.

    -Maple syrup-braised bacon: HEAVEN. I like to think of myself as a bacon connoisseur (I've definitely had my fair share), and I must say that this is one of the best I've ever had (best I've ever had, best I've ever had...shout out to Drake). The bacon is thick, tender, and has an amazingly sweet (but not too sweet) flavor thanks to the maple syrup. This is soooo good that I think my vegetarian friends would convert if they tried it. I'm pretty sure the old school song "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" by the Eurythmics is referring to the bacon at The Publican.

    -Pork schnitzel: huge pieces of pork that are crispy and delicious. The aioli is great, too. A very good dish that comes in a big portion, so if you're hungry, definitely get this.

    -Smoked sablefish: the fish is soft and buttery. Another phenomenal dish, as the spatzle, snap peas, celery root, creme fraiche and poached egg all work great together w/ the sablefish. Make sure to mix everything up so you get all the yumminess in one bite! The presentation of this dish is beautiful, too.

    -Crab scramble: great flavor, and the eggs are scrambled to perfection - soft, fluffy, and not rubbery at all. I prefer my eggs sunny side up or fried, but I would definitely get this dish again.

    There's also an extensive beer menu. My friends all agreed that this was a HELLA GOOD meal (excuse my NorCal-ness). The Publican is one of the best restaurants in Chicago, as the 2k+ reviews can attest. I will most definitely be coming back for dinner - and brunch again!

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/14/2015

    None of the food we ate here lasted long enough to get a photo. The first time I went for brunch, I made a reservation while still sitting at the table for the following week to come back again. The thick cut maple syrup covered bacon is still amazing. Get it to share--or not. Crab omelet, pork shoulder, pork belly scrapple, and sourdough waffle have always been perfect. The Bloody Mary is just spicy enough that the beer back feels great going down after. The menu changes enough on a daily or weeklyish basis that I doubt I could ever tire of this place. Unfortunately on one visit here, it seemed like they were out of everything I ordered, both food and drinks. But to me, that's not the fault of the Publican... They're just really popular and deservingly so.

    If you make a reservation, you'll likely be seated in a booth with a small door that feels kind of private, and if you just wait for a table you'll probably be at the long communal table right alongside your new friends. There's a standing bar area where you can have drinks while you wait and look over everyone else's shoulders but try not to drool on them (though it will be difficult).

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/22/2015
    1 check-in

    Wow! I've been wanting to try this place forever, and finally made it. Awesome ambiance, awesome service, and even more awesome food. Every item we ordered was great but I'd definitely recommend the pork belly and/ or farm chicken (fyi get a larger portion with this). If you can come at a random hour you can get a last minute reservation (ie 530 on a Friday). Definitely will return to try the brunch at some point.

  • 1.0 star rating
    7/20/2015

    I tried to love the Publican, but it wasn't meant to be.

    After weeks of hype from my Chicago friends, I was expecting a dining experience with an amazing atmosphere and a "top 5" meal. I was so, so disappointed! Almost everything about the restaurant was underwhelming.

    My only compliment to the restaurant is that the valet guy was awesome and thought it was hilarious that I valeted my sh!tty toy-sized rental car.

    THE FOOD: I love that the ingredients are consciously sourced, but that's about it. Everything we tried was overseasoned or overcooked. There was no balance to the food or chance to cleanse the palette because every dish was trying to be the star. Maybe we didn't order right, but it would have been nice to have something to break up the onslaught of flavors. Even the veggies we tried were heavy.  I drank at least five full glasses of water during my meal because the food was overwrought.

    The farm chicken was expertly cooked to temp (a rarity!), but the vat of grease poured over it ruined the dish. The accompanying sausage was the worst sausage I have ever eaten, and that includes processed garbage served in Lunchables.

    THE SERVICE: The service was slooooooow. There is no reason a dinner for three should take 2.5 hours. It's unacceptable to wait 10 minutes to place a drink order or 25 minutes to get a check.  

    I went to the bathroom to wash my hands before eating and I had to dodge several employees who wouldn't move out of my way. That sounds elitist and terrible, but the first thing I learned working in restaurants is that it's common courtesy to not hold up people who are paying to dine in your establishment.

    THE ATMOSPHERE: Douchey.

    They're trying to hard to create a casual environment with farm-syle food! The feeling I got from the Publican is that they think the way everyone eats, socializes, and goes to the bathroom is wrong.... and we should all be thankful they're here to show us the correct way.

    I get the family-style service, but the tables were too narrow to fit everything comfortably. I had to move my glass over to the left side of my plate, and the stranger next to me almost drank from it. The menus were way too large to fit on the table, which is ridiculous since the expectation is that you order as you go.

    The architect/designer failed the owner miserably in the execution of the concept. Form was favored over function. The glass entry vestibule was beautiful but the hostesses were almost blinded by the sun in the evening. The barn-style booths are claustrophobic. The chairs are cool in concept, but so uncomfortable; I looked around to people either slouching or sitting up rigidly.

    And the bathrooms.... are a hot mess. Maybe I'm old school, but I don't want a large unisex bathroom with dim lighting. I want privacy! I get the whole "communal" thing, but the bathroom is too much. The circular trough sink is a creative concept, but the concessions made for that feature are ridiculous. The bathroom mirrors ended up being directly over the toilet, and that's the last place I want break out makeup or eye drops when out for an evening.

    The bathroom's communal sink is not handicapped accessible, and neither are the individual stalls at first glance. I asked around, and it seems that two stalls are accessible but neither are marked. Maybe I'm sensitive because I am a designer, but imagine how people who need accessible facilities feel.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/10/2015

    For a fun night out with a good friend and my girlfriend, I chose The Publican! We had reservations from OpenTable so it was a easy walk in to our booth, which was very chic. This place is meant for a good time and is extremely inviting. The drink list was extensive, and I did like that they supported local breweries.

    We ordered a selection of oysters, a gem salad, pork rinds, a fish dish, and a pork dish. With three shareable appetizers and two main dishes, this was more than enough. The oysters were selected from different regions of the US, so it was nice to taste the difference from Washington and Seattle, for instance. It's a nice talking point and got us to try tasting the nuances of the regions. Gem salad was crisp and delightful, and the pork rinds were excellent. The pork dish didn't really stand out - albeit very tasty. The best dish of the night was the fish, which tasted very fresh with a lot of bold flavors. The menu changes regularly depending on season and freshness, which is a very strong selling point of this restaurant. I highly recommend coming here with a small group of people for a great time in the West Loop!

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/9/2015

    Great atmosphere inside.  I enjoyed the aesthetic of the wood tables and rustic feel.  It gave a vibe very similar to the restaurant's inspiration of European farmhouse food in a beer hall.

    My friends and I came here for Sunday brunch after a birthday party.  I am a huge fan of duck (well..used to be...now I'm vegetarian) and once I read the Duck Confit al Pastor on the menu my mind was set.  It looked so enticing that all of my friends ordered it as well and we had four dishes brought to the table.  We also had capuccino's with our brunch.

    The service was great and the price wasn't too bad for being downtown.  Definitely check it out!

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/9/2015 Updated review
    1 check-in

    Having only brunched at The Publican I was excited to have dinner here. Upon arriving they escorted our group over to the standing bar area until our table was ready. There we had the opportunity to order drinks, oysters, and clams. I recommend getting the beer flight so you can try their local selection of the day. I am not really an oyster or a clam person, but seeing as it is part of the experience I picked a region I recognized to order an oyster from and threw it back when it arrived; It will be a taste I learn to acquire I'm sure, but for now it tasted like the ocean, fun nonetheless.

    We were then brought to our table; we were a group of four so got a closed in booth with parlor doors. If you have two or three people you will probably be seated at the long shared table so be prepared for this. The menu is extensive and though it provides great vegetable options, it is definitely a meat lovers restaurant. Plus everything is meant to be shared so don't bring your vegan friend.

    The food:

    The Bread Plate- their bread is famous and sold around the city, don't skip it while you can get it hot
    The Charcuterie Board- a great way to try a variety of meats and jams, could be skipped if you don't have a huge group
    Sugar Snap Peas- my favorite dish of the night, the freshest ingredients served over their bread (serves 3)
    Brocollini- a unique veggie dish in that it incorporates a warm goat cheese
    Fallafel- delicious and a perfect green on the inside
    Squid in Fregola- great flavors but if you want a seafood focused dish the squid definitely gets lost in here
    Short Rib- this is not your falling off the bone short rib that I was expecting, it is more of a steak. Though flavorful I was disappointed because of what I was expecting.
    Suckling Lamb- This dish was my favorite meat dish. It had two parts of the lamb served in one dish that was perfectly sweet. One was on the bone and one was falling off the bone as easily as I'd wished the short rib had. Everything about it was perfect and it was in a great slaw.
    Farm Lamb- This is what they are most famous for and rightfully so, it's delicious. You can even buy all the ingredients to (try and) cook it yourself at PQM. The oil beneath it that the fries are swimming in are unreal. I would recommend just getting the half chicken because it will allow you to try more things, or get the whole because the leftovers stayed well!

    Overall, The Publican is the perfect spot for brunch or dinner. Make sure you make your reservation well in advance as everyone else seems to have caught onto this as well!

    5.0 star rating
    5/11/2015 Previous review
    This is one of my favorite breakfast/brunch spots in the city as it is a meat lovers heaven. The… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    6/27/2015

    We experienced both brunch and dinner. Their brunch menu changes daily. We had the green chili sausage dish that came with black beans, corn bread and egg to top it off. Can't remember the name of it, but it was very good. However, it was overshadowed by the chicken fried skate sandwich.  Let's just say it was 1000x better than the filet o' fish at McDonald's. Lol. Light and flaky and scrumptious. The hash browns were pretty good; crispy and delicious.

    Dinner: we had frites with egg, bbq carrots, country ribs and a delicious fish dish that we can't remember the name of. It was buttery good! The ribs had a yummy charred flavor. The fish was by far our favorite. The carrots were alright. We didn't finish them.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/26/2015

    Sometimes you walk in a place and you already know you're going to love it and have a great time. That's exactly what happened here. This was the # one place my brother wanted to bring me to on my most recent visit to Chicago. Everything was awesome. For food, we ordered oysters (fresh and tasty), their spicy pork rinds (get them), chacuterie (head cheese was my favorite and the rhubarb jam, soo good!), Artichoke Falafel (great), Soft Shell Crab (so freaking good!!), Lamb (perfectly crisp exterior with perfectly juicy melt in your mouth inside; the lentils were awesome too), we also got a taste of their pork tenderloin wrapped in pork belly which was tasty, especially the slightly burnt parts of the pork belly. Their amaro barrel aged negroni is the best negroni I"ve ever had and I've had a fair amount of negronis. I also got their Last Word cocktail which was not on the menu. It normally comes with gin, but on our server's suggestion I got it with mezcal. It also had chartruese, luxardo, and lime. It was excellent. They also have a great list of beer (both bottled and on draft) and wine and many variety of spirits to choose from. We also got their chocolate custard and napoleon desserts. Both were excellent finishers and beautifully presented.

    An absolute highlight is the service top to bottom. They truly care and do everything possible to ensure you have a memorable time. Tracy, one of the managers I think, is easily one of the most warm and thoughtful people I've come across in a restaurant. Matt, the bar manager, is equally as awesome. Our server David, plus Hector and Carlos were great too. The day we came for dinner also happened to be the final day of the National Restaurant Association Show. As a result, they were packed. I imagine they are normally packed, but on prime days/nights, not on a Monday. As packed as they were, they were hustling and service was exceptional. Aside from the huge paintings of, well, huge pigs which were somehow cool and cute, the decor is pretty plan. It felt kind of like a super beige beer hall to me. It works though and I literally loved everything about this place.

    Simply put, service was outstanding, food creative and delicious, and cocktails fantastic. Not much more can be said other than I wish I could take this restaurant with me everywhere. If I still lived in Chicago, I'd be here, a lot and definitely will make it a staple stop every time I'm back in town.

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/6/2015
    1 check-in

    My husband, friend, and I came here for brunch on Saturday. We made reservations so we got a nice booth table. It's really cute where the booth has doors..as if it was a house. The atmosphere is pretty cool - tall ceilings and they  have communal tables in the middle. The chairs and doors are tall - you must be tall in order to serve here (haha) otherwise your reach may be a little hard.

    Onto the food, we started with three types of oysters. We like one of them but the other two we had were a little below average. I had the pork schnitzel entree which was okay. Presentation looks good. My dish was mainly fried batter..and a thin slice of pork inside. It came with potatoes and beans. My husband had their baked egg dish which came with lamb, chick peas, and fennel? It came in a nice le cruset baking dish. He didn't seem to enjoy his dish as much. My friend had their open face proscuitto sandwich. Not sure if she enjoyed it..she didnt say much. We shared the frites with eggs. It's literally just crunchy french fries with a fried egg on top. Boring.

    We were able to stick around and chat for a bit. I like the atmosphere. Staff was friendly. Wish food was a little better. Maybe I'll come back for dinner since I hear the dinner menu is better.

  • 2.0 star rating
    2/26/2015

    My boyfriend and I came here for Valentine's Day brunch and I think we were just expecting too much because we came out of the Publican sorely disappointing, thinking that we would have been better off cooking brunch ourselves.

    The Publican is one of those names you hear a lot in the Chicago food scene and I was excited to have the chance to dine here after making a reservation way early in advance. The decor has a rustic feel to it and kind of a weird set up. There are communal long tables in the middle and side tables that are penned off. Kind of felt like I was an animal in a barn... anyone else?

    With recommendations from the waitress, my boyfriend ordered the Mexican Chocolate French Toast and I got the Breakfast Pote. His French Toast was burnt... seriously?? The chocolate was a little too sweet for his liking, but overall it was a sub-par dish for the price. I thought the breakfast pote was really strange. Lots of root vegetables in this liquidy broth that made my toast soggy... I would NOT recommend this dish to anyone :(

    We must have ordered wrong, but unfortunately our taste buds were not titillated by what the Publican had to offer and I was sad that my boyfriend, who was visiting out of town, had to waste one of his meals in Chicago with this experience.

    I don't think there will be another time, but to each their own for all the fans of the Publican!

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/16/2015 Updated review

    Dinner is great. Farm chicken was awesome. And liver pate was even more awesome.

    Also got the charcuterie plate which was great variety.

    3.0 star rating
    6/14/2014 Previous review
    Came for breakfast. It was good, but I was still hungry. Felt like I should have got more… Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    5/24/2015
    1 check-in

    People can not shut up about this place for good reason. Went here on a Saturday morning (as soon as they opened to be exact) because that was the only time they had reservations available. Cause it's amazingly popular.

    Starter: Chef selection oysters. Delicious. I'm no expert on oysters, but my guess would be that I would know if I had some bad oysters and these were anything but. They tasted fresh and my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

    Entrees:
    - I had some prosciutto dish that I can't recall the name. It was sitting on a perfectly toasted bread and topped with alfalfa sprouts that made it smell like it fresh from the garden. I think my favorite part of the dish (and most dishes I have eaten throughout my life) is the two perfectly fried eggs on top. I'm not going to lie, glancing around, it's like they put eggs on just about everything. AND I LOVE IT.
    - My hot date had the dry aged sirloin. I had a sample and it was pretty delicious. I just have to say, I have never heard so many yummy noises come out of another human being in my life. The plate was pretty much licked clean. I would write more about it, but it wasn't my own personal first hand experience.

    Service: Pretty good.
    Decor: reminds of me a school for some reason. the chairs have a spot for you to put your textbooks and school supplies. I would also like to comment that this place has the most ornate cutlery I have ever seen.

    WILL BE BACK.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/31/2015
    1 check-in

    To clarify if I was footing the bill I'm not sure this would make 5-star territory in terms of my own Yelp rating system weighed heavily on value.  But as I was a guest then I didn't see the actual bill, so all I remember is culinary awesomeness.

    Walking in there on a weekday evening with 8 people seemed like a bit of a gamble but we scored the last spot big enough to hold our group. We even had a buffer zone was the adjacent group left almost as soon as we got situated.  The large communal seating was interesting and didn't seem to retract from the dining experience at all.

    Everyone scanned the menus for a bit as we ordered a few large bottles of beer to share, and then opted to just 'order an bunch of stuff'.  Everything was excellent, from the veggie sides to the fish and meat entrees

    The bread and cheese plate went well with the various beers and once the food started coming it seemed to never stop: pickles, beets, ham, pork ribs, fish.  I was happy to learn that most of the group did not like beets so I monopolized that dish, was wonderful.

    I recall the original plan was to visit Haymarket afterwards but after all that food it was time to visit unconsciousness in bed.  Beside their beer selection was excellent and one of our group who is really into saisons and farmhouse beers was in love.

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/19/2015
    1 check-in

    Been meaning to come to the Publican for a long time and I finally went there today for brunch. After dining here , I truly don't really see what all the hype is about.

    What I had:

    Drink
    * Publican Mimosa is definitely worth a try as it's a mix of beer and OJ so a nice twist on the normal mimosa.

    Food
    * Publican Bacon is good and flavorful, even the fat. I'd recommend trying the bacon as an appetizer or a side for your meal.

    * Oven-baked Sourdough Pancake is good, as it's stuffed with bacon wrapped chicken thigh and sausage. I would have liked this dish more than I did if it came without sausage. To me the sausage just didn't taste like it was fully cooked. The bacon wrapped chicken thigh was really good mixed with the pancake and maple syrup.

    My friend who has been to the Publican multiple times said that dinner is much better than the brunch so I guess I need to go back and experience dinner.

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/27/2015
    1 check-in

    My buddy and I went here for breakfast, but thinking about it, maybe we should have tried this place out for lunch instead? I could have just expected too much from this place? I am willing to give this place another shot on my next visit to Chicago, so, don't crucify me just yet for the "below than stellar" rating.

    I ordered the pork belly scrapple which is constructed of rhubarb mostarda, sourdough and sunny side up eggs. I must say, it was nicely porky, and the rhubarb mostarda gave it a slight sweetness to it, but then the yolk from the eggs lovingly engulf each bite with joy. I just wished that possibly the scrapple was a bit more crispier(?), possible?

    I shall try you again Publican and your sister across the street. Until we meet again, I will be counting the days.

  • 2.0 star rating
    7/19/2015

    It's just not for me. I'm sure it's perfect for others. For starters, nearly everything is small plates and designed to be shared. It's also really expensive for those small plates. You end up trying a lot of things, sharing a lot of things, but leaving hungry. For what they charge, that shouldn't happen.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/10/2015
    1 check-in

    I've heard of the Publican before, but never had a chance to visit due my hectic schedule. My company treated us to this establishment and we were not disappointed. The farm chicken, mackerel, sirloin were top notch. We did not expect the complexity of taste to come from these basic proteins. The ham chop was the real star though. It was unlike any pork dish I've ever tasted. I love pork so I eat it all the time but this was something special. I would describe it more like a perfectly roasted pork rib roast with the very special smokey sweet ham flavor combined with the richness of Filipino lechon on top of creamy polenta. It must be tasted to understand what I'm failing to describe.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/19/2015

    On a recent trip to Chicago my friend took us here.  She told us they specialized in oysters, beer and pork - what's not to like.  Our flight was delayed and luckily they let us move our reservation back.  The environment is super cute with standing tables by the bar, communal large tables and where we sat contained booths.  It was very nice as it felt very intimate.

    There were 4 of us, we started with a variety of oysters, which were delicious and a great way to star the meal.  We ordered several beers, they do have an insane selection.  I had 2 through the night and would come back here just for the beer list.  We then ordered bread and butter, but we never got it.  

    We then had crudo, I don't remember what fish it was, but it was great with a little citrus, it was simple and clean.  Next we had the ham selection.  They were good, very solid, but it would have been better with some additional condiments and more bread.  It is a lot of ham.  

    We then had the cauliflower and sirloin.  Both to me were pretty standard, nothing spectacular.  We then shared the waffle and sorbet.  Both were very good desserts, not too sweet but still decadent.

    Overall, for this level of restaurant I thought the prices were pretty reasonable.   Service in the bar was great, but at our table was just okay.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/21/2015

    Stop reading. Just go.

    Doesn't matter the time.
    Brunch, lunch, dinner--it's all good.

    Their menu is always changing so I can't quite remember what I've ordered before for dinner, but seriously can't go wrong. As for brunch I ordered the red wine pouched eggs, and holy sh*t yes.

    I've been there on numerous occasions for dinner, most recently I went with a party of 8 and we all circled 2-3 items we wanted on the menu and tried a little of everything.
    Dessert-wise--the waffle. You guys--The. Waffle. I didn't order it because it seemed so simple, but my cousin got it and I just basically ate hers up and made no apologies. Be sure to get it with a scoop or 4 of the maple sugar ice cream.

    I TOLD YOU TO STOP READING. Go now!

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/19/2015 Updated review
    3 check-ins

    Once again Publican For the Win!
    Brunch was amazing; including the delicious off the menu vegan dish that the chef prepared for my vegan dining companion.  The server didn't even flinch when we made a request for the vegan options.  
    The top notch customer service and supreme consistency at this restaurant should set a standard for the industry.

    5.0 star rating
    7/23/2014 Previous review
    My first trip to the Publican was forever engraved in my fondest memories as one of the best dining… Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    7/21/2015

    Great, great brunch service.  Lots of classic dishes that have been elevated by clever chefs and the menu changes frequently.  Very friendly and prompt service and they go out of their way to make you feel at home.  One of the first spots that I always take people visiting and a mainstay in my brunch routine.

    Not a huge fan of the community seating but it does help them move more people though the restaurant.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/22/2015

    Atmosphere is like a German beer hall: loud and welcoming, with communal tables. The place fills up fast on weekends--bf and I nabbed a 7:30 reservation on a Friday night. I'd recommend getting a reservation for groups over 4.

    The food is top-notch--make sure to get at least a couple of veggie dishes--these are well executed and delicious. Here's a breakdown:

    -Serrano ham: My palate isn't super-defined, so to me it was basically just slices of yummy cured meat. Definitely not bad, but compared to the other dishes, this didn't stand out.
    -BBQ carrots: Mopped up the tasty dill and herb dressing using all the leftover bread from the serrano ham plate. Carrots had a nice char on them and had the perfect soft-crunch balance. This dish was so damn delicious.
    -English peas with burrata: The sauce was so good for this! Horseradish, fresh basil, who could ask for more? The peas were super-fresh, too. I could eat this every day forever.
    -Andouille sausage: Yasss yum. It had a great mix of spices, the sausage had a great "snap" to it, and the cucumber-dill-cream topping balanced out the spiciness.
    -Beef tongue: BF said it was too rich, but I heartily disagree. This was an amazing mix of delectable seared beef tongue and cherries, topped with some sort of fresh herb mixture, all on top of a crusty piece of toast. I had to stop myself from going HAM and eating the whole thing at dinner. So I ate the rest of it for breakfast the next morning; best breakfast ever.

    The service was great--the servers were very attentive--my water glass never got to be half-empty! I think at one point we even had two servers...? Beer list is extensive, but pricey.

    Food and service is definitely 5 stars, but the loudness was enough that it's more of a 4.5 star review.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/5/2015

    The Publican doesn't disappoint. The hubby and our friends dined outside on what was a beautiful and warm Saturday evening. We split all of the dishes and all were great- scallops, trio sashimi, beef heart tartare, potted rillettes, fried cauliflower, etc.

    Service was great. Very attentive and made sure that we had clean plates each time. We also got wonderful cocktail recommendations. My only issue is that it is a tad pricey for the size of the dishes. But otherwise, a great restaurant with high quality food.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/25/2015

    Ok so over 2000 reviews, need I bother YES!
    I loved it was Amazing, the service the decor the ambience I could still cry!

    Love Publican!

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/30/2015 Updated review

    Just another 5 star update for The Publican gone VEGAN...I've had brunch a couple times in the past couple months. Kitchen custom created dishes both times (THANK YOU TO THE AWESOME STAFF) and did NOT disappoint. Sunday I had the avocado toast veganized and pumped up (original had a fried egg, cheese & meat) so they just threw on all kinds of amazing treatments of vegetables, favas, arugula & other tasty bites. On a seriously thick, hearty delicious, full of grains and seeds crusty bread situation.

    Prior to that on another brunch visit, our lovely server brought an extra dish as I couldn't decide which one to try and it was phenomenal as well. A mashup of kale, chickpeas, avocado, tomatoes & some amazingly flavorful sauce. Plus grilled naan.

    Don't be afraid to hit up the publican if you are vegan, plant based, vegetarian or just like vegetables! They elevate & really treat vegetables RIGHT and don't make you feel like the world's biggest pain in the ass.

    5.0 star rating
    4/21/2014 Previous review
    I've been here several times throughout the course of my evolving diet...from when I first became… Read more
The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

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  • 4.0 star rating
    10/27/2014

    Everything here was just so on point.

    We came here for brunch at around 10:30 AM, right off of our flight to Chicago and were absolutely famished.  The space was large with high ceilings, and had a really casual, welcoming feel to it.  There was no wait at this hour, so we dove right into the menu.  We ordered:

    1) Chicken liver pâté with strawberry jam - this was so delicious and came in a humongous portion.  Maybe I've just become immune to NYC prices, but I was shocked at the amount we got for $8.  The chicken liver was a ball about as big as a 1.5 ice cream scoops, there was a generous amount of jam, and the bread was toasted perfectly!  We got a second serving of bread too at no additional charge.

    2) Lobster scramble - eggs and lobster, so there is nothing not to like here.  It came with generous chunks of lobster, and overall was a good sized portion.

    3) Smoked whitefish flatbread - this was something we wouldn't normally have thought of ordering, but we asked the waiter to surprise us and he brought this out.  The whitefish was super tender, and the yogurt dressing made this dish a great refreshing and light choice.

    Service was wonderful too!  Our waiter was so attentive and everything came out quickly.  I will definitely be coming back if I find myself in Chicago again!

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/3/2014
    1 check-in

    Best food memory in Chicago: the Roasted Chicken and Frites at the Publican. That right there should be enough of a review for you to go try this place out. But, as a service to the Yelpers, I'll elaborate.

    First off, the lighting and ambiance here are so perfect for a casual night out with your significant other....or with three of your best bros! (*raising the roof*) I also want to mention, the nicest public restroom I've ever used.

    The food here is served family-tapas style, so order to share. To avoid turning this review into an essay, I'll go ahead and share with you just my favorite dishes of the night with a short blurb on why it was amazing.

    Oysters: By far, without exaggeration, the freshest oysters I've ever had. We only ordered 6 for the table, but man I wish we could have ordered 5 dozen more. The garlic vinaigrette they provide makes me wonder why I've used lemon and Tabasco for all these years. Tip: the oysters from Massachusetts were the largest.

    Barbecued carrots: Dare I say that dill and roasted carrots may be a better combination then bananas and peanut butter. Absolutely amazing stuff and kind of a flavor-trip.

    Roasted Chicken and Frites: Downright, the best roasted chicken and frites I've ever had. The chicken is unbelievably moist and jam packed with flavor. The frites tastes like they were fried in the most glorious of duck fats; Not to mention how amazing they are after sitting in the chicken juices and still retaining their firm texture. I would say go for the full order if you have 3~4 in your group.

    Just an amazing meal overall and one of the best food experiences I've ever had. Make a reservation early as the restaurant does get busy during peak hours.

  • 2.0 star rating
    3/21/2015
    1 check-in

    My group of Chicagoan friends have raved about this restaurant for years. I wanted badly to love this restaurant. Unfortunately, I was far from being in love with The Publican. In the last few years, Americans have become obsessed with this fancy, but non-pretentious gastropub style cuisine and atmosphere, including myself.

    Not the smartest choice for a large group of 10, but one of the few more elevated and not over-the-top priced restaurants in the area that could supposedly accommodate a larger group with reservations. They told me in advance (and reminded me again the night of our arrival...In front of my friends, nonetheless) the strict requirement that our large group needed to leave within two hours.

    Communal style seating is fine with a large group. If you are not opposed to small talk banter and the inability to have an intimate conversation without being overheard, than you won't be bothered by the mess hall seating arrangement. My friend goes every eight weeks with her partner and they request to sit by the kitchen/oyster bar area, which is more cozy and 'private'.

    The food was hit or miss, but I do like that the menu changes every eight weeks. The brussels sprout salad was refreshing and had a nice flavor profile. The duck was good, but we didn't care for the way it was served. The seafood crudo did not fit the price tag. I understand its from Tsukiji Fish Market, the most famous fish market in the world, but $18.00 for three measly Starburst candy-sized bites?!

    One would think if they needed to dismiss us within two hours, there would have been a more simplistic way to split the bill. No, they wouldn't split it. It was a lengthy ordeal that did not need to be.

    Bottom line: The Publican is not on my list of gastropubs to obsess over. If you crave this kind of energy and food, no need to worry, there are plenty of other gastropub gems in Chicago.

  • 1.0 star rating
    6/14/2015

    Disclaimer: I am not a foodie. Just your average Joe going to get a meal. So if you have a very refined palate or whatever than just ignore this review. I'm writing from a regular guys point of view.

    What a waste of money. Horrible service. Unappetizing food. As many reviewers said the coffee was really amazing.

    Went here for brunch. The potatoes were purple which kind of threw me off. But everything was served in a bowl which would be fine but everything kind of congealed together bc it took the server 45 minutes to get us the food. The eggs were chewy and not very fluffy. I should've taken pictures.

    Also Just a warning that I t's one of those places that gives you very little portions I guess you're supposed to savor. Some of it was really good (the parts that didn't get stuck to my bowl) but the majority of the food did not fill me up.

    Highly discourage you from going here unless you're a foodie. Which it appears that most other reviewers are.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/19/2015

    Went for brunch with my boyfriend's family on a Sunday. We were seated in one of the little booths that close up. We loved it but some people may find it too cramped. We had a variety of dishes and all shared. I enjoyed everything.

    It is something unique and delicious and I'd go back. If you are looking for basic eggs, bacon and hash browns, this place is not for you.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/13/2015
    1 check-in

    The oysters here are to die for! We got the Chef's Selection and I've never had fresher oysters in my life. We ordered the Chicken Liver Pate, Pork Rinds, Breakfast Sausage, Publican Bacon, and Smoked Pork Loin and was disappointed with any item. Only complaint is that if you come in a group of 2 that they sit you at the community table which wasn't a big deal since we made reservations when they opened. I was very pleased with the Chicken Liver Pate as they give you a huge dollop to eat with your toast. Too bad I live so far away :P

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/12/2015
    1 check-in

    When I'd asked friends for their dining recommendations for our weekend trip to Chicago, the most suggested venue was none other than The Publican. The restaurant is one of many successful ventures by Paul Kahan, a seemingly modest tribute to "beer, pork and oysters". The space is an eclectic amalgamation, part European beer hall and part farmhouse-tavern, thanks to its lengthy communal tables, the wooden, high-ceilinged architecture, and the ever-clamorous atmosphere.

    Although we'd easily made reservations in advance for that Saturday morning, some last minute confusion caused us to cancel them, even though we eventually wound up arriving for the meal that we'd initially planned for. Thankfully, the hostess was able to offer us seats at the bar, which actually wound up being more of a kitchen counter; I couldn't complain about the chance to see the staff in action, as dishes were continuously expedited throughout our meal.

    While I typically go for savory plates for my weekend meals, I couldn't help but order the Brioche French Toast. It was an impressive plate, consisting of two generous slices of french toast, drizzled with a whiskey-infused apple syrup, pecan butter, and whipped marscapone, with the much-needed dusting of confectioner's sugar. The texture of the bread was spot-on, featuring a soft, slightly moist center with a well-crisped, almost caramelized crust. It wasn't overly sweet, and the additional elements worked in tandem together, with the marscapone contributing a much-needed lightness to each bite. I was able to try a few bites of the Pork Schniztel, which had a hearty portion of lightly breaded pork loin paired with two fried eggs, fingerling potatoes, and an appreciative dab of mustard. It's the kind of hearty, filling food you'd crave after a night of too much drinking, although it's delicious even when in a sober state of mind.

    Unfortunately, I probably won't get a chance to return to The Publican for a second meal, but I wouldn't doubt the strength of their dinner options. The venue is perfect for almost any occasion, from a weekend brunch, to a late night pick-me-up, and the food offered is unpretentious, reasonably priced, and well executed. Try to plan a visit in advance as the space does fill up, but even so, a little bit of waiting is certainly worth it.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/14/2015 Updated review

    Great place to share with a big group. Nice beer selection, food is fresh, rustic, and well prepared. Would go back for the food.

    Then there's the service.  Pretty poor. Had to constantly look for our server. Was so slow we skipped dessert. The bartender actually broke a glass on my wife, he didn't even notice. When she told him he didn't even appologize, unacceptable.

    I'll return when they spend some time on training their service staff.

    Kitchen keep it up!!

    3.0 star rating
    1/11/2015 Previous review
    Great place to share with a big group. Nice beer selection, food is fresh, rustic, and well… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    4/14/2015

    Pork! It's everywhere you look at The Publican, and that's fine by me.

    The Publican is a great little place, laid out like a German beer hall with a large, U-shaped communal table in the middle of the room and booths with saloon doors along the outside edge. I was a little butthurt that we got sat in the communal section instead of those awesome booths but we got a corner seat so my chapped ass was soon soothed.

    The beer list is almost a mile long, as is the wine list (gross, beer or GTFO). They do have a few cocktails available and boy, are they strong. Not as strong as their pork game though; we got a full charcuterie, the Taste of Three Hams (they should really name a Festivus Feat of Strength after this), and the pork belly. My God. Worth it. I am so sorry, little piggies.

    We also shared the Bananas Foster-esque mille feuille (what dreams are made of) and the chocolate custard (good, but not great). Tab came out to about $140 including tax and tip. Worth emptying our piggy banks for.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/14/2015

    We started off our Chicago weekend with brunch at Publican. It was very easy to make last minute reservations via OpenTable.

    I couldn't resist ordering the bibimbap, something I've never seen on an American brunch menu. It was delectable with every bite so flavorful and delicious. I didn't tire of it even though the dish was on the heavier side.

    He got the steak & eggs, which it seemed like he enjoyed. I had some steak, but was way too preoccupied with my bibimbap to remember how it tasted. We also shared the side of bacon, which was too overly sweet for us.

    I was really impressed by the coffee and wish they sold their special blend! Regrettably, their brunch menu is much more limited than their dinner menu, so I'd recommend coming for dinner if you'd like to try a variety of dishes.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/24/2014

    The Publican is a wonderful restaurant that describes itself as an homage to beer, pork and oysters.

    This is really my kind of restaurant. From the wide open dining space and kitchen down to the extensive and sometime obscure Craft Beer menu, everything about The Publican drips with Chicago chic. I will admit that the service can feel a bit stuffy and gruff at times, but the kitchen well outshines any service related gripes I would have.

    The menu is quartered and it is clear as day that the team in the kitchen is serious about seafood. Fresh Fish, Bi-Valves, Farmed Clams and even Trout can be found along with familiar Pork and Red Meat selections and even some surprises (Beef Heart Tartare, anyone?).  

    Our table of four was thankfully full of culinary adventurers and we decided to order numerous plates and share the flavors tapas style. This is definitely the way to roll as you get a great idea of exactly how expansive and creative The Publican's Chef team really is. Table favorites include Spinach Boudin Blanc, Sirloin, Suckling Pig, and the Country Ribs. As for seafood the Suzuki Bass Crudo really shines and their ludicrously fresh Albacore rivals some of ours here in California. I nearly forgot to give a nod to the Oysters (Island Point) and Razor Clams.

    There was not a single flavor I didn't adore and although the Chicagoans we dined with sneered at some of the plates costs, it was pretty much what I would expect to pay for fare of this caliber home in Orange County/Los Angeles at say, Animal or Sun of a Gun. Not a direct comparison of restaurants, but you can make out numerous similarities of concept, price point and creative style.

    The Publican is truly a great Chicago restaurant and I long for a return visit.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/30/2015
    2 check-ins

    It was love at first sight.  This super trendy, edgy place is a show stopper.  First of the the communal dining is very cool.  They also have really fun standing pub tables that people can hang out by (if they just want to have a drink) and super neat booths that have salon like doors (which sort of makes the seating seem private).  I will say the place is "loud", which may not prove to be ideal if your planning on drinking a lot the night before.  

    We have been here twice and both times it was for breakfast/brunch on the weekend.  The place is crazy busy so I suggest you make reservations (which we did)!  

    First time my husband had a kimchi egg hash, with a side of bacon(pork belly), and I had French toast.  My husbands dish was an explosion of flavor and textures.  Mine was a delicious sweet treat to start the day.  Both were exceptional!

    Second visit I decided to start with libations so we had mimosas(which was a little bitter) the oranges must not have been properly ripened, being from Florida this is something we know about.  We ate biscuits and gravy, duck hash, avacado scramble, a side of bacon and a side of hash browns.  Everyone was super impressed with the diverse flavors in there dishes.  

    I will say this place is so trendy that you almost feel like you are not "cool" enough to be here.  Our waitress sort of seemed grumpy and annoyed with us on our second visit.  I won't hold it against the publican though!  Super fun spot!!!!

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/15/2015

    I'm a big fan of all things charcuterie
    They have amazing sandwiches that cannot be missed for lunch.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/21/2015 Updated review
    2 check-ins
    Listed in Best of chicago

    After coming here during the summer, I had to taste see what they had in store for the winter menu. I was not disappointed. Having already tried their cold cuts and breads, we went straight for the meats/fishes and we were not disappointed.

    Recommended:
    Pinkerton avocado - get it.  I was really surprised by the mixture of the saltiness of the trout roe with the texture of the sweet walnuts and soft avocado.  

    Duck breast - just as before, tender and braised in a sweet wine sauce.  The crispy skin just adds more juice to the already succulent duck.

    Dover sole - whole sole with a nice melody rub of spices and salts with

    Bread pudding - warm, homey and delicious. It is topped with a nice piece of ice cream.  It is big enough to SHARE!!! (or you can order one and box it up for yourself :) )
    If you like BBQ flavor - BBQ carrots were surprisingly good!  They have a bit of spice but if you don't like BBQ sauce flavor, skip it.

    Good but I would try something else:
    Sturgeon- grilled and prepared nicely but it was lacking flavor

    Suckling pig - a bit too salty.  The melody of vegetables in cherry vinaigrette was good but didn't really compensate for the saltiness of the pork.

    Skip:
    Yellow tail - eh i've had fresher. They claimed it was from tsukiji fish market.  Wasn't that good for 18$
    Pumpkin cake - skip - nothing special

    All and all, Publican impressed me more than my last visit.  I will be back again in the future.

    4.0 star rating
    8/17/2014 Previous review
    Came in for dinner after hearing about this place for a while.  
    Food:
    Recommended dishes:
    Sea bass w/…
    Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    11/9/2014

    This is the most memorable breakfast I have had, and one of the best meals overall. Got an Open Table reservation for a Sunday morning at 9am so snagged a nice seat on the patio outside. Service was efficient and friendly, but then the food blew my mind.

    There were so many delicious sounding options I had a hard time choosing, but opted for the publican bacon -- a huge quantity of crispy and salty and sweet pork belly -- and the tasso smoked pork shoulder. But it was oh so much more than just pork shoulder. The pork was served on top of farro, with a complement of kimchi, fermented chili, argula, and egg yolk. It was a masterful combination of flavors (salty, spicy, acidic, bitter) and textures (crispy, soft, creamy). I was not only full after eating it, I was totally satisfied.

    I can't wait to go back!!!!

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/11/2015

    LOVE the oysters and ambiance here....I like the vibe and energy and the beer selection is perfect as well. On second thought... I need to go back here. It's been awhile.

  • 2.0 star rating
    2/18/2015

    This is a "hep cat" hipster joint where everything is as trendy as possible.

    A lot of thought was put into the decor to make it a fusion of shabby-chic and bavarian golden age.

    It's loud and crowded, and beards/mustaches abound.

    The meals are all fried meat-based. There is pork in just about every meal option.

    Everything is about twice as expensive as you'd expect.

    If you're a spirits-drinking male consultant between 24-35, you'll love this place.

    Guess what I am not.

  • 2.0 star rating
    8/4/2015

    This had been on my list of places to try, and I was a bit disappointed with my meal. I went for brunch and ordered the french toast. It was topped with blueberries and a delicious lemony glaze, but the "french toast" was really just really thick bread. I'm not sure they did anything at all to it to make it french. If that bread came anywhere near being dipped in egg and grilled, then the cook should be placed in timeout. My bf got the chicken biscuit, which was much better, but the portion was quite small. I can say that the bacon and mimosa were good, but I certainly wouldn't return just for either of those. I'm willing to give The Publican one more try, but it would have to be for dinner. By Chicago standards, brunch failed.

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/3/2015

    I expected more from this place, as I've heard really good things, and the type of food is generally what I'm a fan of. Just as a caveat, this review is more about the vegetarian food they had, as the meat my companions ordered was apparently very good.

    However, the vegetarian options were generally average. The kale salad was overly chewy and somehow also a little soggy. The spiced eggplant was also a little soggy and mushy.

    The avocado salad, however, was amazing. It was the perfect blend of soft and crunchy, and I couldn't stop eating it.

    The drinks selection was great, and I enjoyed the intimate ambience (as it also allowed me to eavesdrop on the awkward first date at the table near us).

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/4/2014

    I'm a member of The Breakfast Club.

    Oh, you thought I meant the one with Judd Nelson? No, sorry... I meant the group of my friends that gets together once a month to visit a new brunch spot in Chicago. (Er, well, now that I've moved, I'm technically not part of their monthly meals anymore.) We've enjoyed a few good meals so far, including one morning at the Publican.

    Knowing how popular it is, we called ahead and were told we couldn't make reservations; yet, when we showed up, they asked if we had a reservation. What the heck?? They let us come in anyway, brought us to the area with bar-style tables, and quoted us a 30-minute wait. We were OK with that. Thirty minutes of awkward standing went by and we hadn't heard anything. Finally, one of us approached the front desk and asked what was up. Apparently they forgot about us. Le sigh. They quickly offered us a table available immediately as long as we were able to clear out within an hour for a later reservation. Whatever. We took the table because we didn't have any other option.

    We sat at the end of the communal table, right where it connected with a second table going in a different direction. Slightly awkward. The communal tables are interesting. I like the concept, with the potential to encourage different parties to converse and interact with each other, but really, it just felt like we were intruding upon someone else's brunch. And what's the reason for the little doors on the booths? Why do they get to be separated??

    Anyway -- the brunch menu looked scrumptious, albeit a bit pricey. I ordered a coffee and a dish with grilled asparagus, egg, and fish. The coffee was fine. My dish was phenomenal. Despite my efforts to cut small pieces and savor every bite, it was quickly devoured. SO. GOOD. And.... not filling enough for me. Boo. I was still kind of hungry at the end of my meal. My friends enjoyed their various meals and mimoas, as well. One person ordered bacon -- the bacon was ridicously huge!! Crazy. Fortunately for the restaurant, we were done within the hour and able to leave so the next group could have their reservation.

    Service was OK. The food is the best thing about the Publican. Otherwise, meh.

    I wanted to like this place, and I didn't really have much of a reason to dislike it, but there was some kind of pretentious vibe floating through the air that kind of turned me off. It's almost as if you eat here just to look cool or say you've been there. Well.... I guess I'm one of those people too. Been here. Done that. I'm good.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/30/2015

    I have been wanting to come try the Publican for a very long time and today I had the opportunity. I had a really good meal, although I may have been (unrealistically) expecting even more.

    Chef selection of oysters - all six were very good, and the variety from New Zealand (Coromandel) were excellent! Classic, simple presentation; incredibly fresh; highly enjoyable.

    Pecan Brown beer (draft) - really a low point for me. I'm not a huge fan of browns in general, but the description hit all my high points. What I experienced was a low carbonation, slightly over sweet, basic, boring brown. I'm 100% sure there are better options out there (and on this menu).

    Frites - Very nice! Great textures, great flavors; even loved the garlicky mayo on the side.

    Pickles - VERY good. The onions in particular are FULL of flavor(s) and all three had a great, crunchy texture. Cauliflower was the most subtle, but still very tasty and nothing was dull; tons of nice complexity.

    Coffee porter - quite nice, and different than I would have expected. Pretty pricey, but fun to experience none the less. To be honest I didn't really nail the beers today. The best one I tried was the black IPA which I didn't end up ordering (d'oh)!

    Spicy pork rinds - by this point i was pretty full, but I'd had beer and oysters so I felt compelled to have some pork. These were very solid. Light, super crunchy texture and tons of flavor. The spicy cheese powder is great, albeit a bit messy. Certainly worth trying and I'd enjoy having them again.

    Service was good throughout and I did enjoy talking with the 'beer somm', even though I was not overly enamored with the beers I selected. I was at the counter need the draft beers and honestly I did feel a little cramped, but overall the dining space was quite nice. Really fun to watch what's going on in the kitchen and with the staff throughout the meal.

    I'd love to come back, but there are TONS of places on my 'haven't tried yet' list in Chicago, so I'm not sure when that might happen. I could easily see Publican earning five stars in the future.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/24/2015
    1 check-in

    Really, 4.5 stars but I'm rounding down. I had an unexpected chance to try out this restaurant on Saturday and was for the most part, delighted by the ambience and food. Because I wasn't expecting to come here for a while (it isn't even on my list of Chicago restaurants to try), I only knew the name was reputable so I had basically no expectations. I even refrained from studying its Yelp page studiously while sitting at the table waiting for the waiter to come!

    Ambiance: I LOVED it. I loved the wood, I loved the long tables, the bar, the lighting, the booths with the cute little doors, even the bathroom area was so unique and well-designed. Everything was well-lit and allowed for socializing but at no point during the meal was the noise level too high. Perfect. Possibly my favorite restaurant in Chicago, design-wise. 10 outta 5.

    Service: fine. Our dishes came promptly, our waiter was very helpful with the seasonal menu and my water glass was never empty for long. They weren't too hover-y but we definitely felt like they took care of us well!

    Food: we ordered 5 dishes (and a bread plate) for 4 people. The waiter suggested that we order 2 dishes for every person, but we didn't even come close to finishing the last dish. Maybe only 25% of it was consumed. And I think we were all pretty hungry initially. This place is NOT a tapas place. The portions are hefty, so don't go overboard! Now... onto the dishes.

    The bread was freshly baked, but I didn't think it was amazing or anything. But to be fair, bread is usually never the star of a meal. The first dish that came to the table were mussels from Maine cooked with bay, celery and garlic. The broth was delicious - perfectly savory without overwhelming the natural seafood-y taste of the mussels. They also gave us a baguette so we could soak up all the deliciousness of the broth. The mussels were ridiculously fresh and flavorful, and the portion was very generous (we got a full size).

    The second dish that came was the cajun sausage with hushpuppies and this amazingly tart and sweet relish sauce that went well with the subtle heat of meat and the richness of the hushpuppies. I'm from the South and the hushpuppies were definitely up to par with their crispy exteriors and soft, well-seasoned interiors. I really loved this dish.

    The third and last appetizer-y sized dish we got was the artichoke falafel (recommended by our waiter) with honey yogurt. I think out of all 5 dishes, this one was my least favorite because I felt like the falafels were a bit too salty and the sweetness of the yogurt, mixed with the acidity of the picked cucumbers and the savory-ness of the falafel just didn't make much sense on my palate. But all the elements were cooked well!

    Onto the main courses - of course, if you're at the Publican, you gotta order pork! We got the pork chop, which came with an apple relish and the most delicious tangy sauce. This was easily my favorite dish! The pork chop was cooked PERFECTLY and the seasoning was so good - I didn't know pork chops could taste like this. Who knew that there was so much potential there?

    The last dish that came (which we definitely could not finish) was porchetta covered with a brothy, rich sauce with arugula, egg yolk, parmesan slivers and bacon bits on top. It was SUCH a decadent dish and contrasted sharply with the other pork dish we tried because the flavors were so rich and buttery and creamy. I wish I had more stomach room to devour this dish, but it was simply too heavy. Next time maybe I'll go back and only order this and eat it all by myself.

    Overall, great restaurant, great atmosphere, I'd love to come back!

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/26/2015

    This is what you do:

    1) Order a round of beers for the kitchen

    2) Order the "let the kitchen decide" dinner

    This is actually an amazing deal. We're talking a lot of food. They were very accommodating for one person in our party with a gluten allergy (a real one) - separate dishes to go with anything that contained gluten.

    We got a lot of stuff that we wouldn't have ordered ourselves. For instance, the BBQ carrots which were amazing and I will get them every time I come back. They also seriously hooked up the desserts too. I almost had to tell them to stop. Aside from the sheer volume of food, everything was delicious. It was just a great meal. Some cool beers on the menu that you can only get here too.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/7/2015

    The reviews intrigued me, so I went here with a coworker for dinner this past Wednesday night.  Was able to score dinner reservations for 2 at 6pm.  We were also lucky to have a private table, instead of sharing family style with strangers.

    My coworker ordered 9 oysters of varying types to start.  Not a big oyster fan, but tried a few and they were very fresh.  I was in town from Boston, so it was funny seeing Cape oysters on the menu.  We also decided to do the chef's choice menu at $65/person.

    I wish the waiter had left us with a menu, because a MILLION different plates came out for us to try.  A few of them were very, very good - my favorites were the grits + mushrooms and the fried cauliflower.  Was not thrilled by the halibut (it was a teensy bit dry).  The bread + farmer's cheese and some sort of meat/nuts was also very delicious.  For dessert they brought us the cheesecake.

    We were totally blown away by the number of courses + variety of food that they brought us.  You definitely get the most bang for your buck if you do the tasting menu, since we couldn't have purchased as many options for that amount of money.  

    Definitely an interesting place to eat, so I'm glad I tried it!

  • 1.0 star rating
    5/26/2015

    Like others we went there after reading great reviews. Went with a group of 9. The waiter had attitude and treated us poorly. He may simply be a poor communicator but he made folks feel like they did not know how to order food properly. My meal never arrived and when everyone else had completed their meals I reminded the waiter it was forgotten. He told me "it was rotisserie and takes longer". My response was something along the lines of "why not tell the customer that when they order?" Or at least share an update? The waiters attitude was par for how he had acted throughout the evening and simply walked away. The manger did respond immediately which was professional. She offered free desert but after asking all else they just wanted the visit to be over. Needless to say I wasn't thrilled when I received my $10 tab for one rum and coke and the opportunity to watch my friends eat.

    The restaurant was nice in appearance with a cool design. But at the end of the day you go to a restaurant to eat and that wasn't accomplished here for me. Others from my party were clearly unimpressed as well. Maybe I was the lucky one

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/1/2015

    We had the chicken paté, sirloin, and waffles for brunch and they were all so delightful! The service was also pretty fast even though it was quite crowded. Overall a wonderful experience!

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/10/2015
    3 check-ins

    I didn't want to fall madly in love with The Publican, but it just happened. It's amazing and I can't wait to go back.

    For weeks now we've made reservations and have had to cancel for one reason or another but FINALLY, today, we made it. When we got there at 10am, the entrance was full of people who all had reservations and I was a little intimidated at the popularity of this place. I also did not love the whole communal seating bit. Next time, I want to sit in one of those fun booths that have doors on them. Communal seating aside, the rest of the place is awesome. Tall ceilings with very cool lighting, a giant bar along one entire wall, tiny waiting tables in the middle of the restaurant and an exposed kitchen. It feels impressive and made me even more excited to try out some delicious gourmet breakfast grub.

    Since I've wanted to come here forever, the anticipation was palpable and resulted in us ordering the entire menu. Well not really. But we got a lot of food. And it was everything I had hoped for.

    We started with a dozen oysters, the chefs selection. I have never had oysters before and was a little pensive, but they were DELICIOUS. They arrived with lemon wedges and a tangy mignonette. The cape cod oysters were my favorite. We easily could have ordered a dozen more. I want to go back just for the freakin oysters.

    For my brunch entree, I got the crab scramble, a side of the infamous Publican bacon, and an apple cider glazed donut. My brunchmates got the bibimbap, a sticky bun, the pork rinds, and the schnitzel. Going to brunch with boys = no shame in ordering three separate items to eat!

    I had also never had pork rinds before, and though it was novel to try them, I wouldn't order them again. They were dusted in a delicious seasoning, but the texture was weird and they were kind of heavy and greasy for being so light and puffy. The schnitzel was SO GOOD. Easily my favorite item on the table. the breading was crisp and flavorful, the eggs cooked so very over easy that the yolks quickly spilled over the schnitzel, accompanied by soft creamy potatoes pieces. It was enormous and so, so good. The bibimbap was great, I don't love kimchi but the flavors all worked together and the pork belly was delicious. My crab scramble was actually my least favorite entree, which isn't saying anything terrible because everything was so good. I did love that it was served with thick hearty toast pieces which i summarily used to scoop up the scramble to eat. The avocado was a nice light touch atop the scramble and the crab was plentiful. The sticky bun and donut were both delicious and so decadent.

    All of us had coffee and one of us had a mimosa, and our total was $142 before tip. Definitely more expensive than a usual brunch outing, but definitely more extraordinary than the average brunch.

    I know it's not exactly a revolutionary sentiment, but I can't help it - I loved the Publican. I can't wait to go back and try the rest of the brunch menu, or dinner, or just go gorge myself on oysters again. Amazing.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/15/2015

    You can't dine in Chicago without coming here.  Food-wise, you have to eat at least one dish from each category (Vegetable, Fish, and Meat) as well as bring friends to share plates with.  The more friends = the more dishes = the more you get to try!  Everything we had was freakin' phenomenal.  You even have the opportunity to be courageous and try Pig Brains!  (Do it, I dare you)

    Some perks of dining here outside of the orgasmic food: (01) You get to sit King Arthur-style at the largest communal table I've ever sat at, and (02) The Publican lists where every dish is sourced from. (shout-outs to St. Anne, IL and Dwight, IL!) I know it's a trend now, but they're been doing it for years.

    Make your reservation now if you haven't, because The Publican is one of Chicago's best!

  • 3.0 star rating
    6/21/2015

    Atmosphere is awesome - very lively on a Friday night!

    Food was great, from the pig ear lettuce, to the serrano ham, there are a lot of very good dishes here. The size of the plates is a bit inconsistent, though, some are quite large, while others are more bite-sized. Made it very difficult to properly order for a group of 4 (we got full).

    Service was a bit weird - our waiter forgot multiple items (the wine we ordered, one of our dishes was also completely forgotten), but in the end it wasn't an issue since we got full by the end anyway.

    So all in all, a 4* review, but I always dock 1* for not being able to accommodate a nut allergy in a tasting menu. So 3* total.

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/20/2015 Updated review

    I have been dying to try brunch here and came on Saturday. It's so close to my apartment! Walked in with our reservation and the place only about 50% full, with the two tops up front about 20% full.

    I understand it's communal seating for a large part of the restaurant but I don't know why, with so many two tops available they insisted on squishing us between people (not even on an end, yes there were ends available on communal tables as well) on a completely full table with SO MANY spots for parties of two available. It's like they wanted to make it an awkward brunch experience. Strange.

    Anyways, we ordered the schnitzel and the French toast. We got the last French toast, and we were there before the rush. I don't understand how you run out of that so early during the brunch hours, on a Saturday. The food was really good. The knife they gave with the schnitzel was unusable. Not sharp, awkward (a theme now here). As I awkwardly tried to cut my schnitzel the girl next to me who I didn't know was doing the same. We decided that the butter knives were better suited.

    Service was okay. Waiter wasn't really friendly and didn't smile once. I like the space... Urban rustic? Lots of wood, very masculine.

    I would come back here but they have some stuff to work on to make patrons not feel awkward.

    3.0 star rating
    1/18/2015 Previous review
    I have been dying to try brunch here and came on Saturday. It's so close to my apartment! Walked in… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    5/27/2015
    1 check-in

    Um. Delicious. That is all.

    First of all, everything we ordered was delicious whether it be tasty or savory or both. The service was great, and they also had a good selection of beers to go along with the food.

    I recommend getting reservations in advance. This place is popular for a reason.

    Parking is free or cheaply metered around the area. Look closely and pay attention to the signs.

    Seating is pretty communal, unless there are 4 of you - then you can request one of those booths that line the sides of the restaurant. So be prepared to be sitting next to or with other people.

    There are tables you can stand at inside the restaurant if you're waiting for a table and want to grab a drink.

    They have oyster trays! They are delicious. So if oysters are your thing, then go for it! We did. :D

    With an oyster tray, three beers, one appetizer, two entrees and a dessert at the end (bread pudding which was a light almost fruit-cake like dessert), we finished dinner in a little less than 1.5 hours.

    Annd... they have a really great brunch menu. You really can't go wrong with the Publican!!

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/10/2015
    1 check-in

    This place deserves a good four solid stars! First, you need to make a reservation! It will make your life so much easier. I made a reservation for 11 AM for Saturday brunch. It is kind of difficult to figure out who your server is since they all help one another out. I ordered a freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, which I enjoyed very much. We ordered some oysters that did not impress me at all. I have had better oysters elsewhere, so I would pass on these.  Then, the chicken liver pate plate came. I was so excited for this, but the chicken liver had a very strong pungent taste to it. I liked how the berries added on to the flavor, but it was not as great as I expected. You might be wondering why I gave this place 4 stars? It all has to do with their Burton's Maple Syrup Braised Publican Bacon! It was absolutely amazing!! I could order at least 2 or 3 of these. You all need to order this. I am blown away.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/8/2015

    Oysters: amazing.
    Clams: not for me.
    English peas: best I've had.
    Beef tongue: exquisite.
    Yellowtail: eh.
    Porchetta: a must.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/11/2015

    Very cool spot!! Hot spot in the area.

    I went with a group of three, and we sat in a booth that reminded me of a ride seat and basically had barn doors on the front of it.

    We all shared the food that we ordered between the three of us. We got the avocado salad, the small charcuterie board, the half chicken, the ribs, and the porchetta. Needless to say we were stuffed. Two main dishes would've been enough for us with all of the other sides. All of the food was pretty great, but I must say the fries that were under the chicken in the gravy sauce were amazing!

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/1/2015
    1 check-in

    Restaurant decor was homey and comfortable. Food was delicious! Oysters were fresh. Interesting beer selection. Ordered the mushrooms, which were in a really tasty tangerine butter sauce and were on a butter soaked egg soufflé kind of thing - this was the best thing I've eaten in a long while! The soft shell crab with a warm potato salad and was also good though too salty.

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/1/2015
    1 check-in

    Ok so I have mixed feelings about my experience at The Publican. I was visiting Chicago and had this reservation set for weeks before getting there. I was so excited to eat here. It has great reviews on yelp plus all my Chi Town regulars would go on and on about this place.

    Here's where my feelings get mixed...we went January 1st. They had a limited brunch menu. Apparently their original lunch menu was not available. Honestly there wasn't many things on the menu period. So I was a little bummed...

    We ordered the frites with egg. It was great but I knew that it was going to be. That was our safe order. You can't really go wrong with that.
    Next we ordered the pork rinds. I liked them! They were light and airy and they came dusted with a sour cream/ranch type of seasoning. My boyfriend however thought the seasoning was too strong.

    He ordered the waffle. He didn't complain about the taste he complained about the fact that it tasted more like a waffle toast. It was crunchy and dry not like your typical waffle. Might be what they are going for. I don't know.

    Lastly I ordered the pecan sticky bun. Meh. It was good.

    I guess I was hoping to be blown away. And I was just content. Again, I was given a very limited menu on a holiday. I have to go back for a more extensive array of choices.

  • 1.0 star rating
    4/25/2015

    Since I arrived in Chicago, EVERYONE has told me, "You GOTTA try Publican!!!" - I would have loved to...except you can't ever seem to get in there.  Their website says they open at 3:30...but NO ONE answers the phone before 6pm.  Then, when you do get a person at 6, they're super nice..about the way they tell you that they're all booked up.

    I may improve this rating if I can ever get someone on the phone before I have to leave my office, so that I can get over there for dinner....but for now...I am UNBELIEVABLY frustrated with this restaurant...

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/7/2015

    We were lucky to get a last minute reservation here on a Thursday night - very popular place.

    When we walked in, there were about 5 hosts all standing around kind of arguing with each other and not acknowledging us at all. Finally, one of them said he would be right with us. When the main hostess finally greeted us, she says "Um do you have a reservation?" like without even a hello or anything. So things were off to a rough start.

    We were seated in a cozy booth which was nice and a little quieter than the communal tables in the center of the restaurant. After about 15 minutes of NO service, we finally flagged someone down. She was very apologetic and didn't make us feel bad for having to ask for service (which doesn't always happen). She got our drinks right away and was very friendly throughout the meal which saved the day.

    The food is family style so I would recommend going with people you know. A group of 2 would not be as fun because you wouldn't be able to try many things. The portions worked great for a group of 4 because we got to try a lot of dishes. The menu changes daily so there is no point mentioning what we had but it was all very delicious. The dessert however blew us away.

    Over all it's a fun place to go with a small group. It's pretty busy so make a reservation and try eating earlier when it's not as crazy.

  • 3.0 star rating
    7/25/2015

    We LOVED the food and the atmosphere. But, I could only give it 3 stars because our server was rude and dismissive. She really put a damper on the experience. I would go back but request a different server.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/14/2014
    2 check-ins

    It's usually busy here so I would definitely encourage you to make reservations or call ahead...

    Food

    Brunch
    Waffles - I'm not sure how they make it soo crispy..delicious and tastes good with the jam and butter :) nom nom nom....

    Bacon - it's really tasty and i'm sure the fat on it makes it even more juicy and delicious!

    Dinner
    Spicy Pork Rinds - delicious!! crunchy and flavored soo perfectly!  Good for an appetizer!

    I'll have to update this review next time... it's been awhile since I've tried their dinner menu.  Dinner menu was good, but the portions are definitely not huge.. :)

    I would come here again....yumyum..

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 3.0 star rating
    7/26/2015

    Had the chefs tasting and at 65 for 9 courses, I was unimpressed with the offerings. I always do the chefs tasting and expect that the kitchen will show me the best or at least what is the most popular. If the chefs tasting that I received was the best of the kitchen, then the kitchen needed a night off. We had the sea bass with fennel shavings, fish was woefully overcooked, fennel broth was good but lacked a certain depth. For a place that centers around meat, the only saving grace for the kitchen was the blood sausage, amazing crunch and a wonderful flavor, will I come back?  No, of 9 courses a paltry 2 impressed me.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/11/2014

    It's your drunk uncle plus charm. Loud, brash, dominating conversations.. but the talk is about you and he asks good questions.

    Publican was packed and bustling @10:30 Saturday morning. We thanked Brunch-God and waltzed past the 90 minute wait, gawkers jealous of our month-old OpenTable res.

    First thing that hits you is the size.. it's massive. Then your senses go scientist and scramble to keep up

    ears: "this place is LOUD"
    eyes: "this place is FULL"
    nose: "we're gonna FEAST"
    mouth: #drool
    eyes: "we have to fit there?!"

    And yes, seating is --tight--. We squeezed in beside two couples at the communal table. Now I know how toothpaste feels. Competent servers brought our food in waves, first plate arriving right after menus left.

    The sweet slab of bacon gets its own paragraph. Thick but fall-apart tender, knives are unnecessary. The sticky edge bits crunch as they get stuck in your teeth.. perfect char yet still juicy. A slab is big enough to almost fill the Grand Canyon and an order comes with TWO.

    The tangy pimento toast is world class, reminiscent of a light croque monsieur. The perfectly-textured old fashioned donut was a Chicago best. The rich lobster and eggs was probably weakest, closer to runny than rubber (thankfully) and needing more spice, but my plate was still cleaned by the end.

    Next time I'll be on opentable two months in advance.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/7/2014

    Apparently this is one of "the" places to eat while you're in Chicago.  I had reservation for a Monday night and was seated right away with my party of 5.

    The seating is interesting.  Depending on how comfortable you are being at a close distance with strangers, you might not like it if you are seated at these long communal tables.

    The servers are all wearing some kind of auto mechanic looking shirts, which was confusing to us at first because we thought they were customers of the restaurant hanging out for happy hours.  Nevertheless the service was great.  Our waiter gave us great recommendations and helped us navigate through the menu. The only complaint I would have is we asked if the green beans is a warm dish and he said yes but it turned out to be a cold dish.

    With the 5 of us we ordered two vegetable dishes, one whole fish, 3 meat entrees, and another seafood dish.  Overall the portion was good and not too pricey for what you get. The country rib was the stand out dish and everything else were good too.  I'd be interested to try others.

    Overall it's got a nice vibe (loud, fun, not romantic), interesting menu, and quality food.  I can see why it's so popular indeed.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/5/2015

    I absolutely love The Publican. I've been here twice now, both times for dinner, and was very impressed by the dining experience here.

    We ordered cocktails, beers, and a plethora of non-vegetarian and vegetarian dishes.  Service was fantastic, and the staff was highly informative. Everything was absolutely delicious from the shared plates, to the cocktails, to dessert!

    I love the ambiance here; it feels like you're dining at Hogwarts (kind of)!

    I would highly recommend The Publican to all food and drink lovers! I will definitely return for more memorable and quality meals.

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/25/2015

    Honestly, this place is just okay. I suspect their brunch is better. Beers are great.

    Came here on recommendation from a friend who lives in Chicago (I'm from Denver). Ordered the avocado salad, which was unique. Then proceeded to wait an hour for our food with an inattentive waiter. Sirloin was underwhelming. Artichoke falafel was the best thing I ate.

    Honestly for how long we waited for our food and because we were ignored, I kind of felt frustrated paying full price for this meal. Wouldn't recommend to others visiting the city.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/28/2015

    LIFE CHANGING BLOODY MARY.

    You heard right. The Bloody Mary at Publican is a total game changer. If you are coming for brunch, you have to try one of their many varieties. All their other brunch drinks are great, too.

    Three of us came here recently on a Sunday and even though we did not have reservations we were seated fairly quickly. They do have a great bar area to wait at and sip your life-changing bloody if you so choose.

    The brunch food is excellent. Of note, the hashbrowns. WOW WOW WOW WHOA WHOA. Can you say hashbrown heaven?  They came in the form of a large patty. Nice and crunchy on the outside and on the inside they were almost creamy, I think they were made with sour cream or something. TRY THESE YO. But share them because it's a huge plate. Or eat them yourself, it's your life.

    Prices are very reasonable for the quality and quantity of food. This is a place we can't wait to go back to! notjustbrunch.wordpress.…

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/6/2015

    The Publican was a pleasant experience only to be defined as high quality and classic. We had the truffle fry appetizer with the egg yolk to dip, suckled pig and oysters. The highest quality meats in the city (you're even informed with what farm),the seafood is flown in fresh every morning from Japan and the cocktails are made with the best from the best. The seating is communal  (like that of long picnic tables), which is actually quite nice and less of a nuance, where other restaurants can be when you're seated on top of one another, only to feel eavesdropped. Oh! And better oysters than Shaws. I've said enough -- love love love this place and would recommend it for family's, foodies, out of town quests, first dates or anniversaries alike! You won't be disappointed.

  • 3.0 star rating
    7/22/2014
    1 check-in
    Listed in ChiTOWN

    Came here for their famed brunch menu. I had very high expectations considering it was the highest rated brunch place in Chicago, at least on yelp.

    The ambiance is very cool, very hip, very new. I normally hate the communal dinning but I didn't mind it at this place. I'm not sure why, because it was still loud, but I didn't mind it. The tables were pretty big. Go check out the bathrooms! It was my favorite part. The communal sinks in the bathroom are pretty cool.

    Food: I give it a 3. I got the smoked salmon with poached eggs and some salad, it was ok, not very memorable. My boyfriend and friend got the berry french toast. Again, good but not memorable. We are from SF so I'm a bit picky about my brunch. This place didn't awe me like I am sometimes with other brunch places. The only thing that stood out to me and resonates with me to this day was their bacon. You just have to get it. It's so good. Something about how it's not to sweet and not to salty but is perfectly balanced taste of maple and sugar on top of this large piece of bacon. (it was more like pork belly) Although, for 6 bucks they give you a very small portion of it. I was pretty sad when the last piece got eaten.

    Overall, if i'm back in chicago I would give this place another try, but for dinner. I would skip the brunch. Unless all you want to eat is bacon.

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/20/2015
    1 check-in

    An all right place for brunch. I appreciated the large communal tables that could hold everyone in my group.

    We came for breakfast. I ordered the crab scramble and a side of maple bacon. The crab scramble was decent but really light on flavoring. You could tell the maple bacon was quality: the meat very thick and fatty. Good enough to split amongst 2-3 people. The most memorable part of the meal was the pork rinds!  It's a food item I haven't had a lot of, and this particular one was very light and airy.

    Not a bad place for brunch but as a tourist I wouldn't go out of my way here, unless I really liked pork rinds!

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/17/2015

    I came here for sunday brunch .. smaller portion but it's okay because the entree is a bit heavy,but very tasty. I Had the apple glazed donut and 3 different pork entree. The least favorite was the pork hash.. which didn't have much pork taste to it..the duck and the pork belly brunch item was good.  Highly recommend ordering a sausage and the bacon.. love the meat

  • 2.0 star rating
    6/14/2014
    1 check-in

    Bringeth thy hype and such place is sure to fall.  I was entirely let down by the Publican.  For two weeks, people ranted and raved about it when I mentioned I made reservations for brunch, and overall, it just didn't fit the bill...  here's why:

    Atmosphere:

    While I do give the Publican mad props for having one of the more unique setups I've ever been to, it's to its own detriment.  Rubbing elbows (literally) with the person you've been placed next to in a corner seat of the communal table just doesn't exactly scream fun.  Also, this place is in need of some serious sound dampening or similar...  I feel like I had to shout the entire morning to be clearly heard over the conversations around us.

    Food:

    I'll give a plus to the maple syrup bacon, but other than that...  for  the price of the food, it just didn't fit the bill.  $17 for a pork shoulder and grits dish that I needed a chainsaw to cut through, and while my wife's wine poached eggs were good...  the stale bread they sat upon definitely ruined the dish.  We also decided to get a sticky bun at the strong suggestion of our waiter and it was a complete miss...  bland and dry at best.

    Service:

    Here's where the Publican took the final fall.  Our server, in the most straightforward manner I can describe it, was a complete @$$.  When he actually showed up to take our order and refill our drinks (which we had to ask the bus staff several times to have him come over), he actually rolled his eyes at us when we told him that the one alcoholic beverage we had would be the only one that morning.

    I feel like I'm obligated to give this place another try given the reviews both on Yelp and from friends and family, but it definitely won't be for awhile.  Maybe dinner brings out a better crowd.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/23/2015

    Visited the Publican a few days ago while in Chicago.   We had the pork rinds, charred cucumbers and beef heart tartare.  Everything was great.  Our server was excellent and made some great recommendations and was fun to talk to.

    Will be making some return visits when in Chicago.

  • 3.0 star rating
    6/7/2015

    Enjoyed the communal table.
    The pork rinds were delightful.
    Also had a pea salad on cheese toast. The pea salad was very nice but pairing it with cheese didn't work for us.
    Entree was roasted chicken with keibasa and fries. Keilbasa was okay, the chicken was overwhelmed by thyme.

    Staff was very efficient, friendly and accommodating.

    2 stars food, 4 stars staff, average 3 stars.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/22/2014
    1 check-in

    We had an enjoyable Sunday brunch here. Great atmosphere, the decor really gives a cool vibe and the whole space is very inviting. Our server was friendly and had good suggestions. Bottomless coffee service could have been more attentive.

    We ordered the spicy pork rinds, the bacon, and the cider glazed donut to share. The pork rinds--a classic Publican dish--were fantastic. No surprises there! The bacon is two small slabs of pork belly that really melts in your mouth. It was so delicious we had to order another! However, the donut was just okay.

    I had the oven baked sourdough pancake. I thought the pancake itself was nothing special, just a typical pancake but fluffy and light as it should be. While the breakfast sausage hidden inside was quite good, the bacon wrapped chicken thigh was only okay. Kind of dry chicken with a measly strip of bacon. But overall still a tasty breakfast. The pork stew was a pretty serious soup, and had some spice to it. However, it lacked something to sop up its massive contents, so we ordered a side of toast to go with. The red wine poached eggs with prosciutto were good, as were the butter beans. The meat is definitely the star of every dish here!

    Overall, great brunch at the Publican, definitely more of an unconventional meal, if I may. Hope to be back for dinner sometime soon!

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/15/2015
    17 check-ins

    Their beer list is extensive and the servers are very friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful.  they will always recommend a good beer to suit your tastes.  Their menu is extensive too and has something to suit every palate.  You can choose from Meat, Seafood, Raw Bar, and finally dessert. If you are looking for a recommendation for a spirit, try their Malort that is locally distilled.  It will kick your night up a notch.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/18/2015

    One of the gems of the One Off group. While others are a little full of themselves, Pub is constantly taking great product and using them in simple and meaningful ways. Amazing beer list. Great place to take visitors to Chicago without breaking the bank.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/28/2015

    Came for dinner last year in celebration of me getting a job offer. My friend and I got seated at the bar and the atmosphere here is very lively and a little noisy. We ordered the forest mushrooms, fried clams and the pork belly. The food here is great but I really enjoyed the fried clams and pork belly so I recommend those if you're dining here. Our waiter was great but the food came out extremely slowly which was a bit annoying. I'd say the Publican is worth a try if you haven't been but I'm not sure if it's as great as people hype it up to be.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/30/2014
    1 check-in

    I know I would like The Publican the moment I stepped inside the Restaurant.

    The setting here is lively and intimate at the same time. Love that huge communal table  right in the medium of the dining area. Kind of reminds me of eating in a medieval castle with the knights and ladies.

    Just make sure you make a reservation which can be easily done using OpenTable!

    We were here for breakfast/brunch so we shared:

    Red Wine Poached Eggs ($13) - la quercia proscuitto, sourdough and bearnaise

    Oven Baked Sourdough Pancake ($14) - bacon wrapped chicken thigh, breakfast sausage & Burton's maple syrup

    Both were quite unique and well executed. The food were so good that we already decided to come back for dinner next time when we were in town to try out other items on the menu!

    Service was friendly and efficient!

    Highly recommended!

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/19/2015

    Very good food and service.  Eclectic breakfast starting with Bloody Mary with beer back, spicy pork rinds and then crab scramble. Just the right amount of food.

  • 1.0 star rating
    3/21/2015

    Uf dah. I realize I'm 48 and approaching the terminus of my eligibility to ever be truly hipster, but damn. Earnestly, this place tries to be trendy and foodie. But in reality it was just gross. I am missing something , I realize, I am not a true foodie. Whatever you want to think, think the worst. But I have to say this was one of the worst expensive meals I ever ate. I am pretty sure it was because of some strange miscalculations:
    1- the weissbrauten- should be described thusly: for 15.00 you get two white sausages in a copper all clad braising pan floating on water. The sausages were not even good or flavorful. Again, I probably don't get it. I mean Picture: an all clad pan presented to you- the top removed- to show to white spongey sausages awaiting you. Next to it a greasy pretzel , burned on the bottom, and a ramekin of mustard (free of flavor).

    2- eggs- wtf did you do to those eggs? They had some kind of mystery ingredient and were gluey.

    3- the house mimosa -- made with wheatbeer- again - not much flavor- no orange- not really any beer. Just fizzy.

    4- the 4.00 doughnut -- Krispy Kreme like.

    Sorry. I'd give it a no-go. Loud. Pricey. Too-hip and not very good.

    5- arrogance- I ate 1/2 a sausage. Wife didn't touch her eggs. Not one word from wait staff to ask why.

    DO NOT EAT THERE!!

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/28/2014
    1 check-in

    The Publican was a very interesting dining experience. It's communal dining and it's done very good.

    My tip would be to skip the large dishes, and get a lot of well done small ones. It just works better that way.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/18/2014
    1 check-in

    A pigalicious diversion!

    If you are a fan of pork, this is the place for you.  We walked in on brunch Sunday.  

    Our brunch included drinks: 'Day After Amaro'--a very tasty bourbon drink, and a very nicely spiced Bloody Mary (with a short shot of beer).

    The meal included: Smoked pork shoulder, sourdough pancakes and pork rinds.  

    The sourdough pancakes were loaded with bits of sausage and chicken wrapped in bacon.  Interesting.  My preference would be for more chicken, less pork.

    The pork rinds seem inspired by Cheetos--delicate puffs of air and rind; no, not cheese.  And they were greatly better than Cheetos (Have Cheetos reached the status of Twinkies in reference to reviewers' sordid pasts?).

    On our return (there will be one I'm sure), I'd study the menu a bit more carefully and balance the pork with other items.

    A very worthy diversion!

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/5/2015

    I've been here for both dinner and brunch and have never been disappointed. What keeps me coming back, and what distinguishes The Publican from every other restaurant, is how creative and unique the dishes really are. It's apparent that a lot of thoughts have gone into the creation of every item on the menu. If you are looking for a unique culinary experience that also does not break your bank, this is a good option.

    Outdoor seating is a great option in the summer. The indoor seating is mostly communal tables. The restaurant can get quite busy so service is slow at times. Reservations are definitely recommended.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/17/2015

    Great beer. Good food(I didn't get much). They gave me a sample and free pork rinds. I am very impressed.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/2/2014

    How is it possible that the pork belly PORK BELLY PORK BELLY PORK BELLY isn't on yelp highlights is somewhat beyond me. This was by far the most amazing delectable dish we ordered. I usually let the boy have the second half of whatever dish we are sharing after quarter first taste servings but he knew with the fat smile on my face no way jose. Nearly ordered a second serving but had to have some self control at $25 or so a pop and more food coming. Sounds odd I'm sure but I usually don't like American prepared pork belly - love my grandmas flavorful cuts with a fork tender melt in your mouth style and this was it - it actually sort of tastes like Chinese red pork (cha siu) sweet with crispy top but using pork belly...genius! Just occurred to me.

    Anyways fun decor with all the bulbs and communal tables. There are some booths and tables on the side but major pro at the large table is seeing some dishes out before making your decision.

    Overall fantastic and fun. Reasonable to walk back to Gold Coast (2 miles) after dinner and check out the city & walk off dinner.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/6/2015 Updated review

    I'm deducting a star from my original review, because we had a really terrible brunch with them this past week. We've been for dinner twice and really liked it both times, so its still a 5 star option for evening, but stay away from brunch. We sat on the patio, and service was just insanely slow. We were there for over 2 hours for a simple brunch. Our waiter was all schmooze and charm at the table, but then never showed up again. Never checked in on drinks, or said "hey it's going to be another 60 minutes to get these eggs out for you, sorry about that." We watched him chew the fat with another table for about 20 minutes, and finally had to wave at him to get the check and get out of there. The food we got was decent. Egg scramble was quality but unremarkable. Skate sandwich was good, but needed something to perk up the flavor a bit. Two friends got weisswurst which was pretty bad. The sausages are served in the kettle containing the water they were cooked in, which maybe is cool or traditional, but just seemed kind of gross. And their pretzel/mustard was not very good.

    So, that is a lot of complaining for a 4 star review, so let me just re-iterate that dinner there is -excellent-. Just not a brunch option. Dinner involves more beer and pork than you can shake a stick at, and its all wonderful. Still a top-notch chicago restaurant, just stick with dinner.

    5.0 star rating
    7/30/2013 Previous review
    This place has millions of great things on the menu, but the star of the show is definitely PORK.… Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    10/8/2014
    1 check-in

    Lobsta omelet? Yes please! I recently saw an episode of Seinfeld that included a delicious batch of scrambled eggs with lobster as the magic ingredient. Ever since then I've been wanting to try it and Publican  more than satisfied my craving.

    We came here for brunch. Yes, they take reservations and yes, you should make them before coming here. This is one of the best brunches I've had in awhile. The servings are a decent size and you don't feel like you're in a food coma afterwards. In addition to the lobster omelet, we also had a phenomenal Benedict and a side of their thick cut bacon. Both tasted amazing! Service was great and coffee is good too. If you live in Chicago, you have to try their brunch!

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/14/2015

    Delicious food, although the best-looking thing wasn't something I got to eat...don't repeat my mistakes, and MAKE SURE TO GET THE CHICKEN

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/16/2014 Updated review

    I went back to The Publican for dinner, and was disappointed I couldn't drink a Bloody Mary. Apparently that's a brunch thing, who knew. On the bright side, there was a huge list of Belgian beers on tap, and I was appeased by a tasty quadrupel. Helpfully, the food was also delicious, with almost no overlap with the brunch menu.

    We were a party of four, and we sat in one of those little stable booths. Atmosphere was similar to what I remembered from brunch, and service was good. The menu was an entirely different format, shared plates split up into meat, fish, vegetables etc. Everything was fantastic.

    We started with the spicy pork rinds, the only dish I'd had before. These were as good as I remembered, crunchy and subtly porky with a nice dusting of peppery spice. We then shared the taste of three hams and the daily pickles. The hams were lovely, a sampling of Benton country ham, La Quercia Rossa, and Serrano ham, served with very good butter and brown bread. The pickles were a great accompaniment and, frankly, great alone. We got an assortment of cauliflower, onion, and cucumber pickles, and they were all pretty addictive.

    Next, we had the cherry tomatoes, a beautiful plate with bursting, flavorful tomatoes, served with bacon, red wine vinaigrette, and olive oil croutons. Two seafood plates were probably the highlight of the meal--the albacore escabeche and the yellowtail. The albacore was wonderful and unique, the fish lightly cooked in some combination of acid and oil, served with sliced plum, a heap of vegetables, and a coriander vinaigrette. The yellowtail was fully cooked, a preparation I don't come across too often. It was a delicate, flavorful piece of fish, served with red goddess, chimichurri, cherry tomato, and pumpkin seed. We rounded out the savory portion of our meal with suckling pig, which came with a broccoli rabe pesto, Italian sausage, and polenta.

    Dessert was spectacular. We shared the waffles and the angelfood cake, and both knocked it out of the park. The waffles came in a golden pair, with honey butter and blueberry jam on the side. They were some of the best waffles I've ever had, light and crisped and fluffy. My husband inhaled his portion as fast as I've seen him eat anything. The angelfood cake was another winner, a soft, ethereal cake served over a jammy mix of cherries and bitter almond, with a scoop of cherry pit ice cream on top.

    I live in L.A. but I think of The Publican often enough that I'd regret going to Chicago without stopping in for a meal. I might swerve back to brunch next time, but in any case, I look forward to my next visit.

    5.0 star rating
    1/28/2012 Previous review
    My parents have been to Chicago a couple times in the last few years, and both of them bring up The… Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    4/22/2015
    3 check-ins

    The place has a cool vibe, reminds me of Lacma in L.a. The only thing their chairs are horrible but that wouldn't stop me giving this place five stars. Everything that we ordered from this place was off the charts the lamb dish was so flavorful it made my night. Definitely worth the next visit.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/19/2014

    We only got five dishes here and four of the five were home runs (unfortunately, the one that didn't hit it out of the park was the pork ribs).

    The serrano was thinly cut and delicious. The roasted squash in shabazi spice was a highlight with huge flavors. The beets were equally refreshing and tasty. Finally, the white chocolate semifreddo is a-ma-zing. I would have had seconds and thirds of this if I had no concerns for my own health :D

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/20/2014

    Looking for a place that has food items you might not ordinarily find in other places?  Then The Publican is definitely for you.

    First off, let's start with the decor/ambiance: Very "Game of Thrones" like (as stated by the bf).  Not being one too good with descriptions, I had to agree--everything is very rustic; beautiful wood beams, symmetrically lined lighting fixtures above the standing/bar area, and wooden chairs with high backs.  Also, all of the diners were really attractive (both men and women), so that's a plus if you like people watching while you're eating (hey, whatever floats your boat).  *BONUS: The music.  The Black Keys fans rejoice!  Love, love, LOVE that they played The Black Keys and a lot of them.  Good on you, The Publican!

    Service: Excellent.  Whether it's the busboys coming to clear away empty dishes/plates immediately after finishing, or the server coming around every 15 minutes to ask how you're doing, the service is really great.

    Food: Chicken liver pate, mussels, rabbit.  A few things that some people may be a little hesitant to try, but the dish we ordered that was most out there were the veal brains.  *Cue the zombies*  Loved the pate and the mussels.  Both were absolutely delectable.  The rabbit was a bit dry and tough, and I think the taste reminded me too much of Korean curry, but when paired with the rice and beans and greens on the plate, it was good.  Now the brains.  I've never tried brains and I'm definitely glad that they were served fried, other wise I may not have tried it.  It comes with a chimichurri sauce, which was also very good, but the thing that got me was the texture.  I'm huge on texture when it comes to food, so something like this, while worth trying, was too much for me to handle.  But the taste was all there.

    Glad to have tried The Publican and will definitely be back (with a reservation and more cash moneys!).

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/22/2015

    Was very satisfied with the service and food. We had a larger party but it took no time to be seated. I will for sure be going back again.

  • 2.0 star rating
    6/8/2015

    It was my 2nd time going to the Publican.  First time I went was very impressed, this time, however, 3 of the 4 dishes missed the mark that amounted to a lack-luster dinner experience.  

    We had the pork rinds, "Taste of 3" with hamachi crudo, ceviche, and flounder, suckling lamb, and soft-shell crab.  Unfortunately only the suckling lamb was enjoyable.  I disliked the pork rinds but it was due to personal preference, not execution. It was a little too cheesy blasted and felt like I was eating Garrett's popcorn, which is ok if you're into the Chicago style cheese popcorn.  The "taste of 3" really fell through.  The "ceviche" was not real ceviche but more italian crudo.  The small pieces of orange and avocado certainly did not work with it as you ended tasting only those two elements and not the fish itself.  The hamachi was served with creme fraiche and radish which was an interesting choice given it was the flounder that need the creme fraiche to round out the sharp garlic bite of the sauce it was served with.  Lastly, the soft-shell crab, though flavor wise was ok, was poorly executed.  The crab itself was slightly too old to still be considered soft shell and more importantly, rather than serving the sauce underneath the crab, it was served over turning what should have been a crispy/crunchy exterior into a soggy/greasy mess.   The only redeeming dish was the suckling lamb which was deceptively hearty mix of lamb, tangy vinaigrette on crunchy veggies, balanced by a creamy polenta.

    Our waiter was also completely inattentive and didn't bother checking in on us.  Only the busser was "johnny-on-the-spot" refilling our waters so at least we were well hydrated.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/19/2015

    Definitely lives up to the hype. We got the bread plate, falafels, lamb, clam fry, lamb shank, and some vegetable that looked like kale but I had never heard of but was delicious. The clam fry was superb in flavor and texture. The falafels are little bombs of deliciousness. Nothing was disappointing. Look forward to returning!

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/2/2014
    1 check-in

    I have to say, this restaurant was fantastic.  Came here with a group after work for dinner, the restaurant was everything I thought it would be- tasty food, variety, great cocktails, and great service.   West Loop area truly has the best restaurants in the city, and this place is up there with Girl & The Goat and Avec in terms of my favorites restaurants in Chicago.  The communal atmosphere is really fun, you have the opportunity to meet and get to know some interesting people.   Their long style tables remind me of how people must have eaten in the 1800s.  

    Their plates are meant to be shared with a group, I highly recommend the oysters, squid, spicy pork rinds, poached pork loin, and the fried eggplant.  My favorite two dishes are the fried eggplant and the pork loin.  Both are extremely tasty and unlike anything you'll get somewhere else.  Their food rivals girl & the goat, but the atmosphere is completely different.  I'd say the Publican is a better place to take a larger group, and Girl & the goat is better for a smaller party.

    Either way, this place is definitely worth it to try out.  The prices are reasonable and you'll have the opportunity to try some unique food.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/24/2014

    The Publican is a spendy splurge that lives up to the foodie hype it has received. They weren't particularly happy that we only wanted to pop in for 3 plates and some drinks, because they definitely try to emphasize a whole multi-course dinner here. That being said their small plates are perfect for appetizers if you are a roaming food tourist.

    The interior, like its name, exudes a very Nordic public beer hall feel. Very tall ceilings, lots of wood, large communal tables, standing room tables, and a gorgeous bathroom with a stunning shared sink.

    The service was decent, fairly slow and hard to get a hold of. They also seemed very frustrated that we only wanted a few plates and cocktails rather than a full dinner. I felt that since we would easily be out by 7 we weren't causing them to lose out on a real ticket.

    The Heirloom Tomato Salad and Harissa Pate were shining examples of their playful, seasonal flavors and the roasted Shishito Peppers were a deliciously creative dish. Everything we had was thoughtful and well prepared, if a bit expensive. All in all it was a really great spot I wouldn't hesitate to come back to.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/10/2015

    We were fortunate to get a last minute day of reservation on a Saturday night - total luck! We were ultimately seated at the bar after a short wait; the manager Terry comped us an order of their heavenly fries with profuse apologies, but she needn't have worried. At 9:15 on a Saturday night, you take what you can get.

    The seasonal raw clams from Washington were superb, and the Serrano shaved ham was delicious.

    The spicy pork rinds were as advertised - great flavor and perfectly puffed.

    The chocolate crunch dessert was the delicious coup de gras, along with the French press coffee. It was all magnificent!

    A special shout out to our bartender/server Mike, a gentle redhead, for taking care of us.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/4/2015

    This place is definitely worth checking out. It's a nice looking spot with a really cool set up.  The staff is friendly and the food seems fresh and very well thought out. Just beware that if you are a vegetarian or a non pork eater that your options will be very limited.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/26/2014
    1 check-in

    The decor is original, although I'm not really a fan of communal style seating it did give the place a more lively atmosphere, kind of like a beergarden, and it can be as loud as one also.

    The wait staff is extremely cheerful which added to the experience.  We ate and drank a ton here:  

    I'm gonna start with dessert because it was the best part for me, the waffles are amazing.  Light, pillowy, and delicious.  

    The only mistake we made was the oysters we got 2 dozen for almost 70 bucks, while I can appreciate the different flavors the different oysters had, I'm not that much of an oyster aficionado to justify 30 dollars for a dozen oysters.

    The must haves are as follows:  Chicken liver pate, marinated egg plant, charcuterie plate

    The good but not great items for me were:  two dozen of the aforementioned oysters, giant sea urchin (definitely an acquired taste), frites w/ barb's eggs.  These items were pretty good, nothing spectacular though.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

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  • Start your review of The Publican.

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    • Eek! Methinks not.
    • Meh. I've experienced better.
    • A-OK.
    • Yay! I'm a fan.
    • Woohoo! As good as it gets!

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  • 3.0 star rating
    6/28/2015

    It was ok - kind of wanted more for this place

  • 1.0 star rating
    2/15/2015

    Being as positive as I can be, the interiors are lovely and evidently the food is of a very high standard.

    I visited with my partner for valentine's day. Unfortunately we were unaware until arrival that they were only serving a set menu ($65pp) for Valentine's day. Unfortunately I wasn't too enamored with the set menu, but hey it's valentine's day and short of going to taco bell our hopes of eating elsewhere were reasonably minimal. It's a shame, as I think I would have enjoyed much more had we dined on a day where the full dinner menu was in service.

    By the time we had arrived back home, both my partner and myself were starting to feel not so great. Without having had more than 2 or 3 drinks between us, we spent the rest of valentine's night romantically taking turns vomiting into the toilet bowl. We're now spending a delightful Sunday morning ill in bed.  

    I'm sure this was anomalous. The Publican came highly recommended by multiple people; but paying circa $200 for the benefit of food poisoning and potentially missing days of work this week leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/3/2014
    1 check-in

    I've wanted to visit here for quite awhile now, and since my manfriend is in Chicago for a trade show all week and wanted to meet up for dinner, it was time.  

    We arrived early for our 6:00pm reservation, and were sat right away.  Water was promptly poured, menus were laid down, and we were given perfect time to decide upon a beverage before our server arrived.  She explained the menu a bit, we ordered drinks, and we were on our way to AWESOME.  

    We kicked off with beer, and I must say, the service of such was nice.  They pour about half into a glass, allowing that beer to breath, instead of spill, over the edges.  Nice.  Later on, during foodage, we ordered an Old Fashioned (SUPERB) and a Dark & Stormy (GAH, in my face!).  Cocktails were fantastic as well - perfect balance of booze and mixer.  

    For sustinance, we ordered Spicy Pork Rinds, Taste of 3 Hams, Heirloom Tomatoes, and Roasted Potatoes.  I have never had rinds, and have never wanted to try them, because EEW, but I decided if I was going to like them, a place like The Publican was the place to pop that cherry.  I wish they were a tad spicier, but still good.  Though I won't be getting any at a Citgo while road trippin', I can say I've had a rind.   The three hams (from Spain, Tennessee, and another place, derp, sorry) were tasty, prosciutto-esque.  The goat butter had a clean flavor, and went well with the nutty peasant bread.  However, our veggie dishes, the tomatoes & potatoes, were the BEES KNEES.  Good GOD almighty, put that shit in my face again.  OMG OMG OMG.  The horseradish creme fraiche on the taters was GOOOOOOOO GOOOOOO GAH GAH yummy.  The dressing on the maters was PERFECT.  

    We decided on the peach tart for dessert, because fatfatfatfatfat, and it was enjoyable as well.  

    The air here was not overly pretentious, at least not from the staff, so that's always nice.  However, if you get hives from hipster-dipsters, BEWARE.  Just have an extra drank, you'll be fine.  We'll be back someday!

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/23/2015

    I love the German influence feel of wooden tables and the bar area is very nice. The fried pork rinds were sooooo good, crispy, and cheesy! It's a must to get there, as well as a good cold beer. The cheeses are great there, but the food there during brunch/lunch hour is on the saltier side (for my tastebuds)... At least when I was there awhile ago.

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/11/2015

    I know I was supposed to lose my life over the deliciousness of the cuisine at this joint, and yes, the food was ok.

    Was it life changing? No.
    Items that we ordered included The chef's choice oysters were very tasty, accompanied by the standard mignonette sauce - except it was very salty.

    Also the trio of hams, lovely. Accompanied by goat butter. Again with the salt, but it was ham, some salt is expected.

    It was then when I realized why the bussers were so on point with keeping our waters refilled. We have a theme developing here...

    The grilled octopus, it was tasty if not slightly overcooked.

    The cauliflower salad with the Marcona almonds was delicious but a  ridiculously small portion.

    The BBQ carrots, recommended by our server had so so so so much potential, but again with the salt.

    Altogether we had one round of drinks because we were drinking so much water, which is a bummer because we loved the beer and wine list. Trappist beers, yes please.

    Our check with one round of drinks and a few other unremarkable items that included the bread pudding, our check was $235. Plus tip.

    Joint was noisy, and I enjoyed the communal tables, though one of the groovy private booths would have been cool.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/5/2014
    1 check-in

    Whether its the great selection of fine beers or the amazing dishes for which there is no let up, the Publican deserves all the accolades it receives.

    I can't think of a bad meal or dish there that either my wife or I have had.  The freshly, shucked oysters are a now our go to starter when we go there.  The oysters are highlighted by the champagne vinaigrette.  We also find our way to the Spicy Pork Rinds, they will make you ditch the bagged version in a heartbeat.  The Charcuterie Plate helps prepare our palette for the real treat in store later in the meal.  I would highly recommend the country ribs or the farm chicken; both came with high marks by the staff and they were spot on.

    My only gripe with the place is that when it is full of customers (which are jammed pack like sardines in a can), it gets incredibly loud, which makes conversations pretty much a yelling fest.  It's a small beef, but not every place is perfect.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/21/2015 Updated review
    1 check-in

    Very unique restaurant in one of the gentrifying warehouse districts in Chicago. The Publican is no misnomer, this place is communal in everything from its seating arrangements (long tables that seat multiple parties, standing tables in the middle of the dining area) to its bathroom setup (sinks in the middle of a giant washroom).  

    The food and service were superb. Really creative dishes: sweet cornbread pudding on trout, fresh nigiri from Tsukiji in Japan daily, mushroom "pizza" with the crust being akin to a funnel cake. The Publican is a very unique place worth a visit if you're in the area. Portion sizes aren't large, but the taste and creativity of the menu items makes this spot one of the best in Chicago.

    4.0 star rating
    12/3/2014 Previous review
    Very unique restaurant in one of the gentrifying warehouse districts in Chicago. The Publican is no… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    5/22/2015

    I woke up still thinking about that dang pork shank.
    - mushroom+polenta
    - himachi
    - mussels

    Food is delicious. So delicious. Staff is super sweet/super quick

    Minus one star, if I could half a star, because I didn't  enjoy that awkward- everyone sit in a straight line arrangement. I didn't care to hear two business men yapping about what they needed to do/wanted to do/shouldn't do.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/10/2014
    1 check-in

    I first learned about The Publican from Unique Eats. Shot in brilliant, mouthwatering HD, I was of course interested to try it. But when Anthony Bourdain gave his imprimatur on The Layover, I just knew that I had to eat here.

    Of course, all I really needed to know was that Paul Kahan was the chef. I was first introduced to Chef Kahan through Top Chef and No Reservations (yes, I watch a lot of food television) so I knew that his style of cooking -- new American rustic comfort -- would be right up my alley.

    The quaint outdoor patio of The Publican is a precious spot on a warehouse-lined street, which kind of reminds me of the trendy meatpacking district in NYC. But once you walk inside, the restaurant -- a large room with high ceilings, globe lighting, communal tables, and animal pens -- is more reminiscent of a pig barn-cum-beer hall. It's both casual and clever, kind of like the food.

    We started with the Yellowtail Crudo, which was simply dressed with citrus, olive oil, pine nuts, and mint. It was wonderfully fresh and a great way to begin our meal. Then we moved on to half a Charcuterie Plate, which was very good with the exception of the cold and mediocre pork pie. I did love the variety of pickled vegetables, however. When it comes to charcuterie, you can never have enough pickles.

    Next was the Country Fried Egg, which was outrageously delicious. The crispy fried exterior gave way to a perfectly runny boiled egg inside. Accompanied with grilled asparagus, it was a clever riff on a classic dish. The final entree was, of course, the Pork Belly, a huge and tender slab of porcine indulgence coated in a sweet and savory glaze. I felt like a total pig devouring it, but hey, you are what you eat.

    All this meaty goodness was washed down with an amazing pale ale called Zombie Dust by Three Floyds Brewing in Indiana. Hoppier than most pale ales, it ranks up there as one the top 5 beers I have ever had. Just delicious stuff, and a real shame that it can't be found in California.

    Finally, the dessert kind of blew my mind. It was a Cheesecake that was accompanied by nothing other than funnel cake! Funnel cake, people! How awesome is that? It was topped with a raspberry sorbet and also dusted with this really interesting (perhaps Indian or Persian) spice. Hot, cold, creamy, tart, and savory: this dish had it all.

    In short, I loved my meal at The Publican. It was probably the highlight of my trip to Chicago.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/8/2014
    1 check-in

    I wasn't too familiar with the West Loop prior to my most recent trip to Chicago, but now I'm convinced it's the most delicious neighborhood in town.  I started crushin' after visiting Girl & the Goat; I fell in love after visiting the Publican.

    My friend and I dropped by the Publican sans reservations on a Tuesday evening.  The place wasn't busy at all, since it was a school night -- but rumor has it that rezzies are a must on weekends.  We were quickly whisked through the cavernous dining room and seated at one of the large communal tables.  

    (I'm normally leery about communal tables, but our neighbors at the table were all friendly and polite, so all was well.)

    We began with a round of cocktails.  I tried the Slim (gin, Aperol, St. Germain, lime, simple syrup), while my friend opted for a Sazerac (Journeyman Raverswood rye, Demerara syrup, bitters, pernod).  Both were served neat and were perfect for leisurely sipping.  (Clearly, the mixologists at the Publican do not condone slamming your drink before the ice melts!)

    We ordered four different dishes, which were served family-style and perfect for sharing:

    ** Country rib pork chop with ramp kimchi, cashews, and rapini.  I was skeptical about this dish at first, because all the pork chops I've had in the past have been dry and bland -- but not this one!  It was juicy and tender, and paired nicely with the tangy ramps and crunchy cashews.

    ** Octopus with eggplant, tomato, fennel yogurt, and fideo pasta.  A relatively simple and straightforward dish of seafood and pasta, but the quality was outstanding.  Again, I was skeptical because all the octopus I've ever had in the past has been tough and rubbery, but the Publican's version was outstanding!

    ** Dry-aged duck breast with strawberries, dandelion greens, harissa, and feta. A gorgeous presentation with perfectly seared duck and fresh accompaniments.  Loved every bite of this!

    ** Dessert -- Kumquat panna cotta with sweet tea, thai basil, and honey caramel.  This dessert was so gorgeous that I didn't want to disturb it.  But once I did, it was heavy in my mouth -- sweet, silky, spicy, smooth, and luxurious.

    Service at the Publican is casual but knowledgeable.  All the servers were running around especially frantically, outfitted in their signature khaki blazers, but there seemed to be a controlled chaos to the whole thing.

    Can't wait to pay the Publican another visit next time I'm in Chicago -- and hopefully eat up the rest of the West Loop while I'm at it!  =)

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/31/2014

    Here it goes! My last late review about my last meal in Chicago from my trip last month :)

    Now, I am a huge brunch person and if you are in the Chicago area visiting, the Publican is a must... why? Listen to this... just for their bacon I give them 5 stars... 5 STAR BACON everyone listen up!

    Prior to your trip you may want to make reservations as this place fills up on the weekends. We were smart to get Saturday Brunch reservations and get seated right away. I started out my meal with a Publican Mimosa, nothing super special, my friend had a Brunch Box which was a lot more citrus-y and interesting, I'd recommend that over the mimosa.

    I ordered the Custard French Toast with Breakfast Sausage, it was quite heavy and I would recommend splitting this (vs. what we did which was order another order of it to split, oops!) The sausage was just okay, a bit dry but the french toast was delectable, I would have been okay with just one piece.

    Now for the Piece de Resistance! The maple-syrup braised publican bacon... it is not your momma's bacon... it is served with 3 thick beautiful slices and you can see the beautiful layers of fat, meat and crisp... I'm not a huge fan of pork belly but if you are, you will love this bacon, I loved it regardless... so much that I ordered it again (oops!)

    My least favorite part of the meal was probably their hash browns which came out a little burnt and way too fried!

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/28/2015

    Meat, fatty or fried items, beer, takes reservations.  Good.  

    Communal tables.  Might not be for everyone.  

    It's hard to add much more to what is said.  If you like what you see on their webpage, check it out and you'll know for sure :)

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/15/2014

    I'm really not sure what the buzz is about this place. The best part is actually the way the place looks. The atmosphere is very cool. We sat right up at the bar right in front of some oyster shuckers. It was kind of entertaining.

    What didn't impress me was the food. I ordered the lobster scramble with a side of frites. The texture of the eggs was slightly tough and curdy. The cook on the lobster was fine. However, it was smothered in some type of sauce that really just rendered the eggs slimy. The best part was the grilled bread. The frites, subpar. If I had a word to describe this place, it would be pedestrian. I was not expecting this considering it is very well reviewed. Maybe my expectations were too high.

    Oh, I almost forgot. We started with a couple oysters. We watched the shucker, and it seemed like they were really struggling with the task.  My oyster was not detached from its shell and the liquor was nonexistent (that's the best part too!) After making an attempt to throw it back without success, I tried to detach it myself with my butter knife, but I ended up mutilating the poor thing and ended up with a shelly mess. I will say that the waiter sent another round of oysters, and actually comped them completely (which he didn't have to do at all!) So that was nice. The service was pretty good considering it was a busy Saturday.

    I probably won't be back though. The food just wasn't good enough.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/15/2015

    We wanted to try the Publican based on their menu and shared several dishes.

    Started off with a dozen of a few different kinds of fresh oysters.  They were good but I would rather go to Shaw's happy hour and get two dozen oysters for less than what you pay here for a dozen.  

    The spicy  pork rinds were excellent.   The grilled  squid had some smokey taste but there was not much for $19.  

    The Chicken pate was creamy and yummy and the blood sausage was also very good.

    The aged sirloin was just sirloin.  I would not order it again. The carrots were a little under cooked an the beet salad was just okay.

    Overall it was fun dining experience.  The servers were great.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/1/2015

    Cool place. I came here on a Friday last week for a Ten Ninety (beer) tap takeover. The place was hopping! It was super crowded but we got one of those tall tables in the "standing room only" section where all the Ten Ninety fans were hanging out. They had plenty of Ten Ninety to offer and it was a great time trying some of the newer brews! I even discovered another favorite (Rancorous), now a tie with the Black Saison. I would love to come back here and try the food. Such a cool vibe and hip atmosphere.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/8/2014

    We made it out to The Publican for an early brunch at 10 AM, and since I was coming from a city where brunch starts at 1 PM, I was surprised with how many people were already digging in! We were seated promptly though in a cute penned-in booth.

    I ordered the blood sausage with some trepidation, but it was delicious. Do you like pate? liver? You'll love the taste of blood sausage, and it has a nice, firm texture to boot. One of my friends ordered the smoked pork shoulder, which was also lovely. We got pancakes for the table to share. Portion sizes were generous!

    Service was wonderful, though we were there before the bulk of the brunch crowd arrived. Price was reasonable for brunch at such a vaunted establishment, and we definitely left happy!

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/6/2014

    The Publican is excellent!

    Friend and I stopped by for a light meal halfway through our bike ride. We were obviously SO underdressed even though they didn't seem to have a strict dress code, and wanted to sit outside and keep an eye on our bikes, and the front of house was so courteous and understanding and friendly in accommodating us.  Service was also super friendly! We didn't food coma on our ride home, and our waiter was considerate enough to suggest against too many dishes and some of the heavier items we were considering.

    The menu changes daily, apparently, especially garnishes. For example, while beets or bbq carrots+ranch consistently show up on the menu, the garnishes (nuts, herbs, sauce, etc) are different all the time. Keeps things interesting and fresh based on what's available. Based on that, I don't really know what to recommend since it won't be the same. But it was honestly all delicious. The execution on our summery dishes (4 vegetables and 1 heavier meat dish) were perfect. Perfectly cooked, great flavors, seasoned well and appropriately for summer lightness.

    The portions are for sharing but kind of small still, but it's not a ridiculously expensive meal, especially if you ration for some more filling items. The smaller veg dishes I wish I could've had just for myself though. Everything was so good!

    One thing I will note for sure: the waffle dessert. Very interesting. Keep an open mind, but be sure to try it. It will surprise you (hopefully pleasantly)!

    Overall, a great dining experience. Next time I come here, it'll be for oysters and meat!

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/21/2015

    There's no question that The Publican is a porky, pork-centric joint.  I'm not complaining - I'm just saying!  

    What's unique about The Publican, however, is that they take just as much pride in their vegetable dishes as they do their proteins. Based on other reviews, I tried the barbecued carrots.  They were absolutely incredible; salty, smokey, and sweet. It instantly reminded me of a classic sweet barbecue sauce, without any of the molasses stickiness. A must-try.  All of the other veggie dishes on the menu have truly unique flavor combinations, and sound amazing.  To be honest, the carrots elevated this review from a three to a four.  

    We also tried the ham chop "in hay". I had to try it because I saw it being prepared on the Food Network and it just looked obscene. The ginormous pork chop is brined, then seared, then stuffed in a dutch oven with potatoes and burned hay thrown on top and then into the oven.  It comes out sliced on a platter with homemade pickles and pickled onions, which is exactly what is needed to cut through the fatty meat.  I was like "Hay! This is good!" (sorry, I had to).  Seriously, it was very smoky and very tender.  I warn you, though, it's a lot of meat!  If your party is small, you won't be able to eat anything else.  Or, you could always order more and take it home!

    The olive oil cake with mint ice cream was also good.  Very light and flavorful cake with drops of lemon cream on top. It did have something very hard and chewy and unpleasant on it, though. I couldn't quite make out what that was. Good, but wouldn't order it again.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/16/2015

    What a gem. This is a must if you're a foodie. You want different? You want good everything? Food, service, location, experience, ambience - all excellent. A little pricey but it's guaranteed good and so it's value and money well spent. A great spot to take out of town visitors.  Today was the first of many visits to this treasure!

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/24/2015

    One of my favorite brunch options in Chicago. Located in the heart of the Fulton Market area, this is a trendy place to come. They change their menu daily so plenty of variety. We were a group of 2 and tried a scramble, asparagus w egg, and waffle. Great stuff!

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/25/2014
    1 check-in

    My 5 friends and I came here for brunch on a Sunday afternoon with a reservation. The place reminds me of a beer hall, with voices echoing and everything. We sat down at a communal table and were quickly served coffee -- a definite necessity after a Saturday night. We ordered our drinks -- the smokey marys were amazing. Most of us ordered the sourdough pancakes with sausage, one person ordered the pork shoulder, another ordered the lobster scramble, and I ordered the gem salad with crispy pig ear (with a pretzel and beer cheese as a side). The pork shoulder and the lobster scramble seemed to be the winners at the table - so I highly recommend those!! Everything was delicious and made uniquely.

    While the food was delicious and the service was great, the place was SO loud. It was hard for me to hear the other side of the table...so be prepared to yell!

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/8/2015

    If you order a side of bacon and more than one person is eating with you, you've made a mistake.  Order another one.  At least, that's what happened to me and my two friends.  We didn't just go back for seconds, we went for thirds.  If that's not a ringing endorsement, I don't know what is.

    In all transparency, the bloody mary's were a pretty big help in curing our hangovers too.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/5/2014

    The Publican is a great place to bring friends and talk over great food. More pork-centric than its other sister restaurants, the Publican shines when it delivers porky goodness. It's another communal table style restaurant, where you'll sit at a long table or at the bar elbow to elbow with strangers.

    We started with the Potted Rillettes, a small jam-sized jar of duck and pork, topped with strawberries and served with excellent toasted rustic bread. It's kind of a build-your-own open faced sandwich, and the flavor of the meat coupled with the occasional strawberry is surprisingly good.

    The Barbecue Carrots were a spicy and flavorful standout, served with creamy herb dressing, dill and pecans. The carrots are various types of heirlooms, all delicious. It's a combination of flavors that I wouldn't have thought of, but it works very well together. The combination of the herb dressing and barbecue spices is not to be missed.

    Our main meals were not quite as flavorful as our first courses, although they were still very well prepared. The Country Rib, served with romesco, spring onions and turnip, was obviously cooked by someone who knows how to cook great pork, and and lightly seasoned. It was their choice to flavor the meat lightly so that the quality can shine, which it did, but I still found myself wanting a bit more flavor since the other flavor combinations we had here were so unique and excellent.

    The Yellowtail, served with wax beans, green beans and cherry tomatoes was interesting, in a delicate, creamy kind of sauce. The fish was a bit fishy tasting, but was excellently prepared. Overall, I found the flavors of this dish didn't meld quite so well as other choices on the menu.

    For dessert we had the Panna Cotta, flavored with sweet tea, kumquats, thai basil and honey caramel. This is a truly unique dessert, and I found the strong flavors of the thai basil and kumquat to work well together. It is certainly one of the more unique desserts I have tried.

    Overall, it seems that The Publican effectively straddles the line between great quality food prepared simply and taking unique flavor combinations to the next level. If you have a group of people that includes both foodies and meat and potatoes types, everyone will be able to find something to their taste here.

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/29/2015

    Love the atmosphere and the service was decent. The food, however, was a let down.

    We had the pickles and the bread plate to start. Pickles were actually very hard to eat (much more vinegar than is palatable). For the breads the cream cheese spread was excellent and the others were meh, but paying $15 (apparently bread is not included in the sampler of sauces) for 5 pieces of bread and some ok spreads is stupid.

    The dozen oysters were excellent, but not better than the other great chicago oyster spots.

    The charcuterie plate was a big disappointment with strange meats and mediocre flavors.

    The biggest let down was the half chicken. It tasted perfectly ordinary, on a huge plate of fries and served with some tough summer sausage.

    Overall none of the food items impressed me. The cocktails and beers were good, but don't do enough to compensate for the very ordinary meal.

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/15/2014
    1 check-in

    I want to like the place given all the rave reviews I heard from friends, being on a bib gourmand list and etc. I don't know if I ordered wrong dishes but they were just ok, merely ok. We had a grill mackerel & lamb chop. They were average. They have decent beer selection. But given a number of beer bars and micro-breweries these days, it doesn't worth raving about. At least now I tried it. I probably won't go back there again. The meal was $80 (1 drink, 2 entrees, and 2 coffees) excluding tips.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/10/2015

    One of our favorite places in Washington: warm decor, affordable awesome food with huge portions, creative dishes, delicious beers, etc. How could you possibly resist? We found this gem thanks to the Michelin guide and we became regulars....

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/21/2014

    To be fair the food here tasted really good (although maybe not as special as we expected). We had Saturday brunch here with outdoor seating, the atmosphere and the ambience was simply amazing.
    My personal favorite was the lobster scramble. But the guys in our group really liked the pork sisig. Definitely give this place a try is you like pork.
    On a side note, their coffee was pretty good too.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/15/2014

    We came here to grab a couple apps before going to Au Chevel. We arrived as it just opened and was seated immediately. I loved the lighting of the restaurant, and the bathrooms were pretty cool. Our waiter looked like Adrian Grenier from the entourage. He recommended us a beer that is now my favorite of all time.  The name was really long but I did post a picture of it.  We ordered a mix of dozen oysters.  The waiter was kind enough to give us a list of the names of the types we were trying.  We were a huge fan of the mari miyagi oyster.
    We also ordered pork grinds which were pretty big. I loved how it was covered in powdered cheese. I've only tried pork grinds in packages and never liked them until now.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/2/2014

    YES it's trendy and YES it's filled with hipsters and foodies. But you know what, it's also pretty darn good! Like a lot of people here I fell for the hype and just had to check this place out, and it didn't disappoint.

    The charcuterie plate was great, with all that smoked goodness, even the headcheese was pretty decent . The Pork Belly was awesome and was thinking about it even a week after I had it. This beer list is just stellar and would come back just to explore it and not even eat anything.

    And now that Brunch is available, I'll have to make another excuse to come back.

    Yeah it's not cheap but I don't think it's that bad compared to some of the other places in the area. It' also can get really crowded so just keep that in mind if it's not your thing.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/7/2015

    So good. Paul Kahn never disappoints

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/21/2014 Updated review

    This must be hog heaven because this place is a temple to all things pork.  We went for brunch - for fans of swine, brunch here should be on your bucket list.  And what would any proper brunch be without starting with spicy pork rinds?  I had the butter beans with kale, bacon, soft eggs in Romesco sauce.  This is pork and beans on crack.  It's a delicious hot mess that is best spooned onto wood grilled toast.

    You must get a side order of bacon; it would make even Oscar Meyer speechless.  It's super thick cut, perfectly smoky and salty, grilled over fire, and served with a maple glaze.  OMG ... we ordered another.

    I also have to give props for the Bloody Mary ... super tasty and it comes with a beer chaser.  Can't think of a better way to start a Sunday!

    Not everything was the bomb though.  The non-piggie items were just ok.  We had the sourdough pancake - baked in cast iron skillet with bacon-wrapped chicken thighs.  The concept is cool but execution needed something.  Glazed apple donut was not that good.

    My advice, stick with pig.

    5.0 star rating
    8/5/2011 Previous review
    Wow.  A truly memorable meal.
    Ambience: Brit hipster.
    Food: Surf and hardcore turf.
    Drinks: High end…
    Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    3/10/2015

    The Publican is where I began my brunch adventures with a friend of mine last year (2014) and I have to say it was a great way to start what has become a weekly brunch-venture in Chicago. The Publican being the first, is used to measure the many places we have been since.  It's like your first anything in life, positive or negative it sticks with you. I promise you will keep coming back, the food is amazing. Might I recommend the sourdough pancake. Who can say no to a bacon wrapped chicken thigh, and savory sausage baked into a thick sourdough pancake, served in a piping hot skillet, with a side of maple syrup?

    Beyond the food the ambiance is friendly as are the waitstaff.

  • 3.0 star rating
    12/21/2014

    Perhaps my expectations were too high but i just can't give it 4 stars... The atmosphere was exactly how the other yelpers described...noisy, fast paced, and fun.

    Service - It was actually good. Although the wait was way too long and the temperature was humid / moist (ewwww) in the restaurant, waiter was friendly and knowledgeable with the menu.

    Food - It was a group of 7 people. We ordered probably 9-10 dishes. I can't really name the dishes since none of them stood out.

    I'd say it's an ok place to try out, but not a repeater kind of a place.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/24/2015

    The food was phenomenal, the flavors amazing, all fresh. The desserts are especially good, don't miss.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/22/2014

    +++
    - They take reservations, unlike a lot of the Chicago restaurants
    - It's very large, we were able to get Sunday at 8pm, no problem
    -  Country ribs are delicious

    ++
    - The .75L Publican Lambic is pretty large. We got 5 drinks out of it.
    - Wife got the variety of Oysters (Che'ss selection) , she enjoyed them (She like the added home-made crackers that cleanse the palate)
    - BBQ carrots is vegeatable and u qwouldn't realize it. Those are the best kin

    +
    - It's neat how we are seated in stables
    - The farm chicken (chicken and sausage) is a hug meal, chicken was good, fries were delicious, sausage was thick
    - Wife liked the suckling pig. To me, it was unmemorable.
    -

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/29/2015

    This place was great! The pancake is amazingggggg (I would omit the powdered sugar if I ordered again) and the waffle was decent. The waffle was sort of pricey for what you get which is a really light waffle with not much special to it. Again I would omit the powdered sugar because they dump it on. Overall great though!!!

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/12/2015

    I went for the beer; I loved for the food!  

    I went based on the BrewDogs episode because why not.  What I didn't expect was some of the best food I've put in my face to accompany that beer.  From the bread to the carrots to the beef - everything was amazing in its own way.  I kept waiting for the dish that was a let down and it never came.

    Taste of 3 Spreads & Bread (pimento cheese was killer)
    BBQ Carrots - you will not be disappointed
    Sweet Potato - just go to town
    Boudin Sausage - will blow your mind
    Dry Aged Sirloin - change your world
    Dark chocolate - great end to amazing meal
    Pumpkin cake - shut up and put it in your face

    TIP 1:  Everything is to share.  I dub this place American Farm Style Tapas.  Bring a friend - SHARE EVERYTHING

    TIP 2:  Seriously everything is to share - the coffee is a 16oz beast of a french press.

    TIP 3:  SHARE EVERYTHING - including the space.  Community tables/bar space.  Make friends - share their food.  I did.

    TIP 4:  Your bill will get up their quick.  Do not expect cheap.  Consider the chef plate for $65/each.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/5/2015

    Great place. Food is delicious and the service is great. Their indoor area is a little 'ugly': all weird, wooden chairs and tables like some sort of a prison restaurant! They need to fire their decorator, and you should aim for a table on their patio to save yourself the horror of looking at their internal decoration.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/18/2015

    Absolutely wonderful birthday celebration with my family and beat friend at The Publican! Food and service phenomenal!!

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/2/2014

    I ate the Publican this past weekend - I was celebrating a Bachelorette party in Chicago with 11 other girls. I knew right away when I walked in that I liked the vibe - it was loud, bustling, rowdy - a good place to kick off a long Friday night. The cocktails were well done, and the food overall, was delicious. The brought out a bunch of their signature sharing plates for all of us to share, and then after that I had the mussels - yummy broth, large portion, served with a warm baguette on the side. A few of the girls ordered the sea bass and it came half-raw, and all three of them had to send it back, it was that awful.

    The service was below my standards - things had to be asked for multiple times, drink orders were mixed up.

    I would recommend this place for large groups, looking to amp up the energy for the evening. Food won't be the best you've ever had  (or even top 5) but you won't be disappointed.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 4.0 star rating
    5/4/2014

    YUM. The food is wonderful here. I came for brunch this past Saturday and loved it! My table ordered the corned beef hash and the lobster scramble with a side of bacon to share. SO good.  The corned beef hash was delicious and the lobster scramble had some biiiiiig chunks of lobster in there. The bacon, as other yelpers said, is totally worth the $7 too. Bottomless coffee was great, and so was the service!

    My only two gripes- portions are not humongous. I was a little disappointed at the size of my plate when it first came, but I actually left plenty full and happy.  Also, I could do with the communal seating and bathroom sink. Don't let these two things deter you though-- the Publican is totally worth the $25 for brunch!

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/29/2014
    1 check-in

    I had a good meal at the Publican, but it wasn't mind-blowing. I made a reservation on OpenTable which I switched up a few times (number of people and time), but luckily was always able to get what I wanted. My boyfriend and I requested a private table, instead of a communal table and we got it.

    What we got:
    -Chicken liver pate with blueberries
    -Shrimp with avocado
    -Tagliatelle with a white fish (can't remember what fish)
    -Porchetta
    -Chef's selection of oysters

    The pate and tagliatelle were top notch, but everything else fell a little bit flat. I would not recommend the shrimp and porchetta was good, but it was huge and we did not need it all. I also didn't like how much cream was served with it.

    Our waiter forgot to put in the order of oysters so he comped them and I got them at the very end of the meal. They ended up being super disappointing--small and not particularly tasty.

    Cool place, but think carefully about what you order and talk to the waiter about his/her suggestions. Some dishes are definitely much better than others.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/25/2013
    1 check-in

    The Publican is another hyped up restaurant that I can finally cross off my bucket list.  Upon entering through the big glass doors, I noticed the restaurant gave off a rustic type of vibe with their oversize tables, chairs, and exposed wooden panels.  The dining concept here is really unique because it is a huge dining hall with large communal tables, "pig pen" booths, and a standing lounge.

    I came here for a friend's birthday with a party of four and were seated at the communal tables.  The server explained to us that the food is served almost like tapas style and was meant to be shared.  We decided on:

    Chefs Selection of Oysters: six different type of raw oysters selected by the chef.  I didn't try these out, but they were a decent size for the price.  My friends said they were pretty tasty and fresh.

    Bouchot Mussels (full order): mussels cooked in lambic bay, butter, celery, and garlic.  The broth the mussels were sitting in was amazing.  It wasn't too heavy that it overpowered the original taste of the mussels, but still gave off that buttery and garlic goodness.

    Charcuterie Plate (half order): finocchiona salumi, pork pie, headcheese, country pâté, morteau sausage, pickles & mustards.  I'm not too sure what was what on this plate (even though they told us each item on the dish), but I enjoyed almost everything.  I just didn't like the pickles & mustard.  Something about sour and mustard didn't go well with each other.

    Pork Belly: glazed pork belly over a heaping mound of steel-cut oats.  I'm not a big fan of pork belly, but the thick cut pork belly was perfectly glazed and cooked.  The pork was so tender that once you put a knife to it, it just fell apart.  The steel-cut oats also was a great addition to the dish.

    Sweet Potato Gratin: sweet potato baked with cheese and spices.  This dish had the perfect balance between salt and sweet.  It also wasn't overpowered with cheese.  Overall, a delicious gratin.

    I have to say my experience here was different, but enjoyed it nonetheless.  I'm not a big fan of communal dining because I don't like how I can hear the conversations of everyone around me and vice versa.  Oh, did I mention that the bathroom is communal also?  Well it is! Three stalls for girls and 2 stalls for guys.  Weird huh??  But I still would recommend you to give this place a try if you enjoy good food and looking for a unique dining experience.

  • 2.0 star rating
    5/9/2015

    Meh. I was pumped to go here but the waffle was cold, didn't have much body (think fried doughish), and the eggs and fries just mediocre. Th waitress was nice, steered me away from the lime Rickey but the grapefruit spritzer she recommended was just about flavorless. Good company, bleh food.

  • 3.0 star rating
    11/18/2014

    So i was very excited to try the Publican, as it gets a lot of hype and has great reviews, and was even on the Michelin 2014 bib gourmand list. With that being said, I have taken an interest in trying restaurants on the coveted Michelin list. Publican did not meet up to the standards of the other restaurants I have tried (Longman & Eagle, Girl & Goat, Gilt Bar)

    The Bad: I ordered the yellowtail, it was bland and completely raw in the middle. I understand that meatier fish can be raw, but this just was not done right. Devoid of any flavor aside from raw fish in the middle - it just did not do it for me. The bib lettuce was nasty- it literally tasted like they had just crumbled up pork rinds and scattered them all over the salad.  It was difficult for me to eat, as I am not a pork-rind, pork-ear, any fried skin type of person. The skirt steak was so bad that no one even ate it, which to me is interesting as a place that boasts excellent meats, you would think the quality of the meat would be so good and flavorful, that you wouldn't need any sauce. The BBQ carrots were not bad but to me were not a stand-out dish.

    The Good: The chicken was phenomenal. It is very nice to go to a restaurant and get an amazing roasted chicken done right. This and the potatoes which were in an aioli, were the stand outs for the meal. The porchetta was also pretty delicious along with the dumplings that were underneath.

    The bar menu was extensive, tons of beers and a good wine selection.

    I most likely will not be back to Publican. I was expecting really robust flavors and did not really get that from anything that we ordered. Nothing WOW'd me to the point where I have to come back again. It is also extremely pricey. I think the meal for the four of us was over $250 because all of the sides are ala carte.

  • 1.0 star rating
    4/12/2015

    These guys are assholes. This is my second and last attempt to give them a chance. I called yesterday to make a reservation and the host said they were closing soon. I asked if they could have a reservation for two and he replied that if I walked in right now I could. (Obviously if I could have walked in "right now" I wouldn't be calling for a reservation.) I said I could be there soon and he replied with a snarky "You can try" and hung up in my face.

    I didn't try. I'd rather not drop a load of money on an overpriced plate of eggs from a team of douchebags.

    No thank you.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/3/2015

    I've been wanting to try publican for a while now. I decided to opt for brunch on a rare Sunday off. Made a reservation easily online for 9:30. The location is easily accessible through the green line, I'd suggest not driving because parking can be dodgy and being that the area house quite a few warehouses, there are all kinds of restricting with loading and the like. They have a patio area but I chose to sit inside. The inside is beautiful and airy, whimsical yet balanced, and despite communal seating (not my favorite at a solitary brunch with a good book) quite comfortable.
    Service was efficient and friendly. My severs name was Benny and he was full of informative guidance and quirky humor. I asked for suggestions and after some indecision ( mainly because I was hungry so everything looked appetizing), I settled on the tabbouleh with sausage and their famed bacon. The entree delighted me with the array of textures and flavors. I knew their sausages from frequenting publican quality meats, so no surprise that it was phenomenal, full of spices and subtle nuances, but I was taken aback with the care and attention given to the accompaniments. Perfectly over easy eggs, salty and moist feta cheese, Job's tears (apparently a barley like grain) served as the base. They bacon was stupid good, but that was to be expected.
    The only negative mark belongs to the doughnut I ordered, it was a lemon old fashioned doughnut. Now I know my way around an old fashioned doughnut. It should have a thick outer exterior with a heavy dose of slightly hardened glaze but a soft, light inside. This tasted like pound cake, slightly dry pound cake, with no finesse or attention to texture or flavor...confusing really. If you can't do it justice, don't do it at all or at least call a spade a spade (or lemon pound cake, as it most certainly resembles).
    Coffee was perfectly strong and always full...great with lemon pound cake, er doughnut. I sat by the kitchen which was a flurry of a well oiled machine. I would like to try a lot of the menu so I'll definitely be back!

  • 2.0 star rating
    6/14/2015

    This is my second time there.  Possibly my last. Went there on a Sunday afternoon, for a late brunch. The majority of the brunch crowd had mostly filtetered out ,and there were several seats available. Yet the three , Hostess's, acted like the place was full, and it was going to be difficult to get a table. I was asked how many were in my party (3 times) ,and if they were all there. There were 2 of us.   "Seriously" ?     We ordered 2 bloody mary's, and waited 15 minutes, to be told the bar is really backed up, and we could order our meal in the mean time. The bar was empty ,and the bartenders were just standing there , or washing glasses. I figured he forgot our drink order and lied to us.  Worst of all is we were seated only 15 feet from the bar and could see what was going on. The bloody mary's are watered down , and made extremely spicy ,possibly to compensate for a tasteless, watered down drink.   The meal was ok, but they use terms in thier menu, that no one had ever heard of the ingredents , or the bizzarre named items within the discription of the item.  I am well traveled, and study cooking extensively. And had to ask the waiter what 4 terms meant. He laughed and said, everyone has asked him the same question. It seems to me , they are using these unusual terms, to add some type of up- scale class.

  • 2.0 star rating
    3/7/2015

    2.5/5 Stars.

    Great atmosphere, hit-and-miss service, but somewhat unmemorable meal, save for the charcuterie.

    We started by ordering a few of every oyster / clam variety, pretty standard fare. For the main course  we ordered -

    Fried cauliflower
    Charcuterie plate
    Farm Chicken
    Suckiling pig

    Fried cauliflower was delicious, flavorful and just the right amount. Definitely recommended. Charcuterie plate was delicious, however 4 thinly sliced pieces of salami is a disappointment to say the least.

    Farm Chicken and Suckling pig  - both these dishes tasted like they were cooked in a sous vide, then pan seared before bringing to the table. The Suckling pig (pork chop) has the blandest of flavors - would not recommend.  The farm chicken was flavorful (seasoning) but once you past the skin - it tastes pretty much like boiled chicken.

    The service was good, as the bus boys made sure our water was filled and our plates were clean. The waitress however, not quite as inspiring. When asked for recommendations, the suggestions were  "everything is good". Not very helpful.

    Not that I make a difference, but I probably won't be returning. The place gets fairly packed, and is pretty expensive  - so keep those two things in mind.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/23/2015

    I have been here a whole mess of times. It's legit. The service is good and the food is great. There is always an interesting beer to try and the staff is skilled at helping you pick. I want everyone to know that this place has the best oysters... For real. They shuck the hell out of an oyster with no junk or grit or slimy stuff. There is always something new to try on the menu. It is oh so tasty. Finish your meal with a bit of creme de lemoncello. They got the good stuff. Oh yeah!

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/28/2015

    Awesome decor, the food way amazing. The pork chop was SO GOOD. The Pimms Cup was a delicious drink. Really neat dining concept.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/21/2014
    2 check-ins

    Publican has renewed my faith in the Chicago brunch game.  Honestly.  I willingly admit that I'm a bit of a brunch snob and aficianado so it takes a lot for me to give out a 5 star rating and Publican hands-down earned it.

    The bacon was amazing - the perfect blend of fatty and meaty goodness all covered in perfectly balanced maple syrup.  Mmm, just thinking about it makes my mouth water.  We split one order amongst 4 of us, along with the spicy pork rinds, but I could have happily polished off the entire thing by myself.

    I was lucky enough to come on Saturday and was told by our waitress that they had just received some fresh lobster the night before and the chef had created a lobster scrambled egg dish special.  Despite many other tempting sounding options, I quickly rationalized the dish's $19 price tag and ordered it.  It came out perfectly scrambled, slightly soft, extremely buttery, with generous amounts of lobster, pickled onion slivers and hints of dill.  On the side there were three slices of buttered, toasted french bread and I mopped up every bit of buttery, eggy, lobster deliciousness with that toast and literally wiped my plate clean, it was that good.  

    T got the pork belly bibimbap, which was essentially pork belly placed in the middle of a spicy, well balanced rice - veggie - spicy combo that any good bibimbap should be.  It was delicious as well, though obviously I was biased towards my lobster eggs.

    Lastly, the service and atmosphere, as outlined by so many others, was just so great.  Our waitress was friendly and accommodating, the communal table was fun and the noise level was buzzing without being overwhelming loud.  I would highly, highly recommend coming here and look forward to my next opportunity to eat at the Publican.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/5/2014

    Professional as can be.  We left this place happy.

    Made reservation here due to a friend's recommendation, as their "favorite restaurant".

    Had dinner here with the girlfriend and one of us has an allergy to garlic.  We informed the server, Kial, after ordering drinks, and he immediately went to work to find out what the chef can do for us.

    He came back with a menu scrawled over with pen0written notes he took after discussing with the chef that identified ingredients and which foods can be worked to accommodate our needs.  Unfortunately, most of the meat menu is made of cured or marinated meat, so those were removed from our offerings.  He saw the disappointment in our face, and went back to ask the chef what could be done.

    The kitchen staff ran an errand to the Publican Quality Meats butcher shop (closed at the time) to cut some fresh sirloin that had not been marinated, so that they can  accommodate our dietary needs.  This was what not how we were expecting dinner to end, and it was above and beyond service provided to us.  Never did they make any insinuation that they were inconvenienced by us.  Given a challenge, they worked to solve it and make us happy.

    I appreciate the professionalism of the staff at The Publican.  Their food, and beers were delicious.  I'm definitely a fan.

  • 1.0 star rating
    8/7/2015

    Ok, so I only write restaurant reviews on here when I feel really strongly about a place, good or bad. And my experience at Publican was strange and not good in any aspect. First, the server assistants and food runners were good, in fact, they were the ones that did all the work. Our server barely did anything except take our order. She barely checked in on us and was not friendly at all. But my biggest complaint was the food. We did the tasting menu, and not only was the food mediocre at best, but it was plain weird. There seemed to be no consistent pattern or theme to the food. He best thing was the duck confit on toast with raspberry jam. We got two meat dishes that tastes like something out of a cafeteria. The ingredients in the short ribs dish didn't seem to really fit in with the flavors. There were some random blueberries thrown on top of luke warm, semi dry meat. Our final course was pork loin and not only was it HUGE, there was also no flow to the dish and it appeared that all of the components were thrown on the plate. It was definitely not a tasting portion, and we were way too full to eat it. I'm not sure if we would have though even if we were still hungry because flavor wise it was not good. Again, it tasted like diner or cafeteria food. I was so disappointed with this meal, and after hearing so many good things about Anna Posey's desserts, I was really looking forward to dessert. Boy I should not have gotten my hopes up. It was a waffle. Not even a fancy waffle. It was simply sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with apricot preserves and what they called "honey butter" but for some reason tasted like salted lard. It was an extremely disappointing end to a bad meal. I will not be returning.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/14/2015

    One of my favorite restaurant in the city! Great decorations, great food, and great atmosphere. Love!

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/25/2015

    Can't say enough good things about this place. I have only been once for brunch and am dying to go back. The Biscuits and Gravy and Smoked Fish Scramble were the standouts of our brunch, but everyone loved their dishes and cocktails.

  • 3.0 star rating
    7/4/2015

    Great food.  Very poor service. We ordered drinks, she forgot.   At lease 45 minutes between courses.  Not worth returning...

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/25/2015

    We went there for brunch on a lovely Sunday and sat outside. The food was great, but service was slow. It took 35 minutes to get some coffee, which was not refilled. It took 45 minutes to get the check after our table was cleared.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/24/2015

    Food was good! Definitely get the frites and egg, and the waffles. Service was subpar though. They put us in the corner of the restaurant even though there was plenty of room.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/25/2014
    1 check-in

    Where Bacon is BACONNNN! Perfectly glazed and their maple syrup was awesome. Not too sweet and went well with it. I don't know if I can go back to the regular thin bacons anymore.

    For the main course I had their Sirloin Steak Tartine with horseradish cheddar and fried egg. Definitely a must try, that horseradish cheddar is amazing. I know their menu changes daily but some of their items stay on their menu.

    Well that's it, food coma is kicking in.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/8/2014

    Went here for brunch on a Saturday. Me and my bf shared the Chef's selection of oysters which were amazing! Seriously, if you get anything, get this. I also loved my Bloody Mary, I paired it with the Gose beer, such a good combo.
    One piece of advice, do not get the pork rinds, they tasted terrible.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/18/2014
    1 check-in

    Sunday Brunch: reservation on OpenTable, got in quick, served fast--unique for a brunch experience as it didn't take forever!   Of course tried the bacon which was excellent: crispy but not burnt, good balance between meat and fat, with a sweet maple sauce.  The waffles were perplexingly light: somewhat unsatisfying as it didn't meet my mental expectations of waffles, but interesting and different.  Coffee was quick and very good.  Fun decor with a lot of fat pigs and a slight feeling of being in a barn.  Love to come back for other meals!

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/10/2015

    The quality of the food here is top notch, but I wasn't too impressed by my experience. The communal style seating was a bit awkward and the enclosed 4 seat tables looked like stables for animals... My table of 4 ordered a selection of oysters, spicy pork rinds, whole order of mussels, potted rillettes, barbecue carrots, asparagus dish, pork belly, and whole order of chicken. The oysters were pretty tiny but tasted fresh. We loved the mussels and pork rinds (worth getting!)! The rillettes were very flavorful but nothing to write home about. Our server raved about the barbecue carrots and we were shocked to see a teeny plate for $9. The dinky asparagus plate for $12 was just as shocking. The pork belly was quite pricey for the size as well but was really delicious. The chicken dish that came out last was pretty disappointing. The meat was juicy but lacked flavor. At $30+, I was expecting more than just pieces of chicken on top of fries like a bbq joint. Overall, I'm not sure if I'll be coming back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/19/2014 Updated review
    2 check-ins

    Awesome dinner tonight. Really enjoyed our waiter and how he guided us thru the menu. The hand crafted local vodka was excellent

    Started with the chef choice oysters  very nice selection from Washington to main   We then had a peach kale salad very nice smokey flavor.  A mackerel dish, Mexican style corn then a 1/2 chicken with frites.  

    Awesome flavors.

    5.0 star rating
    3/26/2014 Previous review
    Had a reservation here because we were doing business around the corner.  We were early and we got… Read more
  • 2.0 star rating
    3/25/2014

    This review is for a weekend brunch which we had a reservation for:

    Overall, after hearing great things about this place, I was very disappointed.

    Five stars for the bloody mary. It was legit very good and probably the best I've had.
    Two stars for the service. Our waitress (blond short pixie cut) was quite cold and very unhelpful dealing with the menu. I was legitimately surprised by how uninterested and nonchalant she was. The other waiters were better, but because you're blocked in like cattle (which is kind of cool) every time they come to fill your water, its super awkward and intrusive since they have to literally lean over you.

    As for the food. No no, the portions: they're tiny. Unbelievably tiny. If you're an average male you will not be satiated. I was amazed by the HUGE plates and tiny portions, especially cause the menu really didn't lend itself towards a coursed meal. I had the bollito which had two small sausage pieces and the tiniest egg I've ever seen on top. But to make it worse, the toast served with it was burnt. Now if there's one taste that is universally unappealing its BLACK BURNED TOAST TASTE. Seriously, this place has 4 stars and can't even get a decent toaster? It was so overpowering if just ruined the other flavors.

    Anyway, meh service, burned food, tiny portions, huge bill, delicious bloody mary. Overall, I was sorely unimpressed. I really wanted to like this place, but I don't think I'll be going again for brunch.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/23/2015
    1 check-in

    Great food .  Awesome beer selection.  Pork rinds were an interesting concept !  The vegetables we some of the best I have tasted !

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/15/2015

    This place is so good. I only gave 4 stars because it's really really loud which makes it hard to converse with your party. The food is just amazing. We had a party of 8 and chose the chefs tasting for the table. It was a wonderful experience.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/29/2014
    1 check-in

    Do not own TV however, when I'm in the mood for a little mind numbing action I will download Anthony Bourdain and he happened to be visiting Chicago; The Publican. Was fascinated the neighborhood no one I mean no one ever stepped foot in this area back in the day let alone open a restaurant with a Seafood & Pork combo!

    The decor is simple yet very cozy the windows looked to be opened to the outdoors come summer time. Our waiter had a lets hurry it up order and get out attitude, he warmed up a bit but still had tude. The menu for our table consisted of several drinks; Pinot Noir, The Slim Cocktail, Frites w/Barb's egg, Oysters; Fanny Bay & Lady Chantilly, Chicken Liver Pate, Fermin Serrano w/toasted bread and Bouchot Mussels. Everything was amazing I wanted to try at least a few more dishes.

    I would loved to have stayed for dessert however my friend had an emergency back at her farm where she raises Swiss Alpine Mountain Goats in Beloit, WI and had to leave...boo hoo. Los Angeles would welcome you!!

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/19/2014

    It took almost 4 years to be reunited with the Publican and damn, it felt good. We had some friends in from out of town and were lucky to find a reservation last minute on a Sunday. It is an acquired taste, but I did enjoy the communal seating and community vibe. Be ready to eat meat and lots of it as the menu is very carnivore heavy. All shared plates we tried were really great... the porchetta with spaetzle was amazing and a much larger dish than the rest. Also, I would recommend the beets and burrata cheese. YUM. Only knock is the service, it seemed rushed and very impersonal.... other than that, we will be back and hopefully soon!

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/24/2015

    Publican is tasty.  Definitely a yuppie place.  Located in the West Loop situated alongside a row of cutting edge restaurants that are known foodie favorites.  While that could be a tad intimidating I think this restaurant holds it's own.   We sat in a booth that had swinging doors which isolated us from the rest of the diners.  
    We were there for brunch.  The pork rinds and sticky bun apps were amazing.  I loved the schnitzel.  It was fried to perfection.  Very light and crispy without being greasy.  They added beans and a sunny side egg to it which was so good.  Huge portion size  definitely took some home.  The publican bacon aka 2 large slices of perfectly fried pork belly was amazing.  Like candy.  Friend had red wine poached eggs which was good and just the right amount.  Lots of good options.  Would definitely like to come back for dinner.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/18/2014

    I can't believe I forgot to add my review for this place. What an amazing experience! The staff there is incredible. Seriously, every person so so pleasant, accommodating and knowledgeable. I really like the layout of this place. It's unique with an upscale feel and several large tables that seat multiple parties. My friend I went with has been there before so I let her do the ordering. We mussels, they were perfectly cooked. We also did the charcuterie, the french fries and the hamachi crudo. Everything was perfect. The drinks were poured well. It was such a great way to start a night out on the town

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/11/2015

    Took 20 professionals to dinner here in the fall. Reservations for a large group are tough there given their set up, but they made accommodations for 2 adjacent tables that worked fine. Waiting to be seated was awkward as there is no really space to be out of the way. Once seated however, the family style food was quite good and they kept it coming! Having a large group made sampling most of the menu possible and everyone had a very nice experience. Highly recommend it!

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/14/2014

    Went here for Mother's Day and was blown away! Outstanding selection of beer and the food was so good. Love the shared plates so everyone can try a little bit of everything. Try the pimento cheese!!!
    Looking forward to getting back here and trying the brunch and going to the Market across the street.
    Outdoor seating is also available weather permitting.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/27/2015

    This is the spot for a meat eater! Bourbon and Scotch selections are bar none! Service is outstandingly over the top and well informed! I've been over 10 times and I'll continue to bring friends and family who have never experienced this wonder dining atmosphere and decedent cuisine! Tip of the hat to the entire staff and chefs! We'll done and thank you for the care you put into your dishes! 5 stars!

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/16/2015

    Overall a very cool experience.  I was fortunate to go there with 6 people that all wanted to try a lot of different plates, so we dug in.  The BBQ carrots and pork belly were by far my favorites.  I've had a hard time find good pork belly as of late but The Publican did it right.  

    The 6th person of our group is a vegan which we thought was going to be a problem but the chef was extremely accommodating and made a HUGE plate of veggies that looked fantastic.  Part of me wanted to eat more of his dish.

    Our waiter was awesome.  Attentive and offered great suggestions.  My only slight complaint is the communal seating.  It gets very loud in there and hard to talk to everyone in your group.  

    Definitely would go back again.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/21/2014

    If I made a little more money, I would eat here every day. (and if I also was more motivated to also go to the gym every day too!)

    Why? Well, the menu here changes every day is reason one. Some things stay the same day to day depending on the seasonal offerings during a given week, but a lot of the main dishes are switched up a lot so you can come here and always find something new!

    The highlights? Their pork rinds are pure magic. Really though, these are the best pork rinds I have ever had with a little spice on them too! They literally melt away in your mouth! Their taste of three hams was also a great way for us to start off our group meal to sample hand picked aged hams..mmmm! And I don't know what they do to their chicken liver pate, but wow. Just wow is that stuff addicting and amazing. With those strawberries and shallots with, it spreads so easily on the toasted bread, just awesome.  We got a spanish mackeral with strawberries also one time, but this pate beat that dish hands down. The duck breast I also was expecting to be a bit better than it was but the farm chicken which I rarely order out in restaurants was some of the best chicken I've had. The fries with it also you could not stop eating, but if I were to order it again, I would skip the additional sausage since the taste of three hams was so much better than the sausage we got with that chicken. One trip we got their bbq carrots and they were covered in this dill and pecan creamy herb sauce that was perfection on a plate. But then the second time we ordered them, the flavor just wasn't quite there. So I guess this place can't be perfect all the time, but you know at least pretty much anything you order here is going to be pretty darn good and the next day, there will be new things on the menu too!

    Last word of caution, is inside it can be a bit loud for normal dinner conversations so while it is warm, eat on the patio if you are hard of hearing, otherwise, try and request one of their side tables which only seats 4 people rather than sitting in the main part of the restaurant for noise purposes.

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/26/2014
    1 check-in

    We get it guys, you work at Publican.

    That sentence pretty much sums up the hospitality here. Arrogant, pompous and almost made me like my food less cause I couldn't stop thinking about the slap across the face our server deserved. Sorry dude...not everyone's frames give them the gift of knowing your menu front to back, and btw "an egg that's been cooked for 60 minutes" is a pretty asshole answer to the question "What's a 60 minute egg?"

    Excuse the rant, but if you can get past the badly placed sarcasm, pretentious tones of voice, small serving sizes, and the lack of a mirror in the unisex bathroom I guess Publican is pretty good food.

    Amazing bacon, but definitely not worth the 'tude though dudes.

  • 2.0 star rating
    2/27/2015

    On the recommendation of a friend and with plans to be going through Chicago tonight we wanted to find a unique place with some great food to enjoy before our flight out in the morning. Like the dutiful guy that I am I did my exhaustive yelp research and The Publican had good reviews and some fantastic pictures of delectable looking pork belly and so many other unique dishes that looked too good to pass up. So the Publican won our yelp contest for tonight's pre-flight dinner. All day long I'm looking forward to dinner almost as much as vacation thinking about those mouthwatering photos and the exciting dinner options to choose from. Publican opened at 330p and we arrived at about 445 the place was fairly open with only maybe one or two tables. We were told that we can have snacks and light appetizers but the dinner menu was not available until 530p nor could we get the dinner menu to look at until 5:30 PM which was okay we can make it work and have a cocktail. Initial assessment is nice rustic/modern interior with kind of unique long table oriented set up for seating and that's kind of the communal approach which is hip these days. Interior was nice and our server was friendly and attentive and on his game throughout the evening and if your server should be occupied elsewhere they seem to have several assistants and helpers there to pick up dirty plates refill water and check in on you. I would assess the service as strong and the atmosphere as acceptable to good. Sadly I have to report that the food pretty much across-the-board was a COMPLETE LET DOWN and did not at all measure up to the great photos and our enthusiasm for dining here. I'll itemize what we had and give you brief comment:
    Assorted oysters on half--probably the highlight of the evening fresh, tasty if they weren't four dollars each I would've had a dozen more. Cheese & charcuterie--okay and another one of the stronger courses for the evening but honestly I've had better elsewhere and can't recall a truly stand out item from what was presented. Avocado citrus salad--light, non-offensive but nothing to wow about. Sardine entree we shared with 5 inch sardine on toast with some light mustardy sauce and pickled radish on top--nearly inedible! I'm adventurous and after one bite, then another to check myself sent it back as not acceptable: too fishy, too funky n not in the good way. Cauliflower salad--acceptable cauliflower with very light vinegar-dressing ok but not a wow. Suckling pig with rice-- pig tasted over cooked and even chewy and the rice and sauce almost had an Asian or thai spiciness to it. It was okay but again not a standout item and I was hoping for much more. Lastly, the porchetta our server had raved about - okay but really kind of a large slice of pork he compared to our beloved pork belly looked and tasted like it had been cooked in the crockpot with some light watery broth and then put on a plate with chunks of Romain lettuce dropped on top of it. We didn't even finish this item it was just weak.

    In summary acceptable atmosphere attentive and well-intentioned service but the food tonight was a complete swing and a miss. Would not go back and we looked at each other and said almost at the same time "what a disappointment".

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/25/2014

    We went out to the Publican for dinner, and it was just amazing. I'll rank the dishes for you. Be aware that these are for sharing.

    Charcuterie Plate - B. I do love charcuterie, and it was pretty good, but it can't really compare to what was coming.

    Oysters - A-. Fabulous taste. Get the Chef's Selection if you like oysters. The lingering oyster water on my plate actually made the later dishes taste better.

    Mussels - C+. I'm not quite a fan. That may be just me.

    Country Rib - A++. AMAZING. Very possibly the best thing I have ever tasted. The vinegar-y taste was just perfect, unlike the usual sweet taste of ribs, and the meat was perfectly cooked. If you see this on their rotating menu and are not a vegetarian, ORDER THIS.

    Sirloin - A. Delicious, and the goat cheese and apples that came with it made it even better. It can't quite compare to the Country Rib, but still, a very nice way to wrap up the meal.

    Service was very good, but if you see that Country Rib, GET IT.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/1/2014
    2 check-ins

    Smoked Pork Shoulder comes with cheddar grits, collard greens, ramps and sunny side up eggs. The meat was wonderfully tender and was not short of flavor and smoke. The collard greens balanced out the protein nicely and the cheddar grits added a nice savory taste to the dish.

    Waffle with honey butter and rhubarb jam - The waffle was light but satisfying as it came with jam packer flavor. The honey butter was the best I have had. No need for syrup because the butter and jam added the perfect sweetness to the dish. Satisfying without being overly filling, this dish is a must have for brunch.

    Beets salad was exquisite. It came with burratta cheese, a soft cheese that absorb the color flavors of all the ingredients surrounding it.

    Pork Belly is a must try. The slowed cooked meat is tender and rich in fat goodness. I yearn to come back for more.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 5.0 star rating
    9/12/2014

    My husband and I are obsessed with this place, whether it's dinner or brunch. We were recently at a corporate event there and it was an incredible space for it. Some people are thrown by the communal tables but I don't mind it. The outside tables are not communal, but always great when the weather is nice.

    Highlights: Brunch - the bacon is heaven on a plate and the sticky bun are my favs. Also love the fries with egg.

    2 thumbs up!!

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/9/2013
    1 check-in

    Pork, shellfish and amazing beer.

    Oysters with a side of ham, finished with a swig of Belgian beer.

    Yes. Yes and yes.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/27/2013
    1 check-in
    Listed in Chi-city

    I'm going to make it Public-an, that I love this place. I want to transform into a pelican so that I can store all of their offerings in my beak to eat later. I am nuts about their (chilled) Banana Nut Bread. The Publican's Candied Bacon is cut thick like a stick of a Mars bar. The Bone Marrow Hash, is as rich and addicting as hash of another kind.

    Large windows and communal tables make this an open and inviting restaurant. Of course, you can always get good vibes from the Hogwarts-like bathroom area.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/10/2015

    Wow!!! Everything is fantastically delicious!.. But ouch will U feel it in the wallet cuz u won't want to stop ordering!... This family style delicacy mmmmmmm

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/18/2013

    This place was recommended by a few people. First impression, the hostess was very friendly and as we entered the dining area the space was quite large and brightly lit. We loved the decor and the communal tables. A great use of space!

    We ordered half Serrano ham plate, half charcuterie plate, fried egg over fries, pig ear salad, suckling pig and short ribs. For dessert we ordered the TCHO chocolate mousse.

    We started our meal with the cured meats. While they tasted fine, I didn't find them to be special in anyway. It was on par with most restaurants. Perhaps my meal at Girl and the Goat clouded my judgement of these dishes. Next came the pig eat salad which was some romaine with deep fried pig ear. It was tasty but again nothing special. Then the short ribs appeared which was basically a very fatty piece of Korean kalbi. Not good at all. We felt quite disappointed after this fish considering all the great reviews. We perhaps should have came here for brunch instead! But then the French fries and suckling pig came to rescue the meal a bit.

    The dessert was nice, toasted thin pieces of bread with layers of mousse and bourbon ice cream. Can't go wrong with that.

    Overall, I think this place was fine but definitely not worth returning for me. I wish I could have liked it more.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/11/2015

    Really good brunch, we had the benedict and the biscuits and gravy with the thick cut maple bacon on the side. All of the food was awesome and it had a cool vibe. However, the downfall was the seating situation. It has a "family style" seating where everyone sits at a long table - which I don't have a huge issue with. But it wasn't very busy and we had people sitting abnormally close to us for no reason.

  • 2.0 star rating
    2/26/2014
    1 check-in

    Let me start by saying that the customer service here is really great and the atmosphere and design was unique and fun, but all of this together cannot save the overpriced wretchedness they call food.

    I came here for dinner, they were very quick to seat us.  The seating arrangement was awesome, there were private booths and communal tables.  The fun pretty much stopped there.  We ordered porchetta, pork belly, brussel sprouts, and the apple salad.  The apple salad was really good for what it was...an apple salad.  Everything else just tasted like I swallowed a spoonful of salt.  

    For the price they are charging for their food, I expected better plating, it just looked cafeteria style and unappetizing. I just imagine a fat lady with a mustache ladeling my food and plopping it on a plate.  It just looked like a big blob of mush, i couldn't tell what was what.  I do not mind paying for overpriced meals if its worth it (i.e girl and the goat) but this was just ridiculous.  We ordered 5 plates worth of food for four people, it was over 200 dollars and no one was remotely full.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/27/2014
    1 check-in

    This place is amazing. The food is delicious, the beer selection is vast, and the service is TOP notch.

    I would definitely recommend this for your food adventure or event of any size. Just make sure to make reservations at least one week ahead of time.

    I came here with a party of 24, and the hostess were so nice. I had a reservation for 20, and we were just hanging out in the bar standing area till our reservation time. Worked perfectly as a mixer time. The dinners were delicious and amazing. All family style.

    The hostess (Michelle, I believe) did everything she could to accommodate our needs. She was wonderful -- definitely deserves a pay raise. I think she helped seal the deal for a group of our size, and really helped cement our awesome experience. :)

    You know, I don't have a favorite dish from the night. If you can't decide, I recommend just asking your server. They know their stuff.

    Cheers

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/31/2014
    2 check-ins

    The Publican is a Chicago dining fixture, and for good reason. It pays homage to this part of Chicago in that it offers hearty, meaty, no frills brunch that is sure to impress your out of town guests. I've been for dinner and brunch, and I'd say if you had to choose one, go for brunch, and get the smoky bloody mary, definitely the bacon, pork rinds. Skip anything fish based, and go straight to more meaty main dishes. Sharing is the way to go!

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/30/2014

    I went to The Publican for dinner on a Monday. I appreciated the aesthetics of the restaurant, but their choices are not particularly comfortable. The acoustics are horrible. In fact, during our meal I said, "The acoustics are horrible," and -no joke- my date said, "What??"

    Our server was very friendly and patient with us as we asked questions about the menu and took our time making our order. Overall, I wasn't thrilled with the food though. The peaches were beautiful, light and tasty, but I have to admit I've had better. I was surprised by the portion size- larger than I expected. But I would've rather paid less per plate and received a smaller amount so I could try more menu items.

    2 stars seems harsh for The Publican, which meant well but failed to hold up to its reputation. So I'll stick with 3 stars, but the truth is: Meh, I HAVE experienced better...

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/4/2014

    I have many mixed feelings about this restaurant.

    On one hand, they give you a lot of food. The service is decently fast, and the restaurant has a unique atmosphere and design.

    On the other hand, I felt the food was overpriced. At one point, my friend ordered the farm chicken. It was essentially a rotisserie chicken on french fries. Okay I thought, this must be really special - otherwise people would just go to Boston Market or KFC. To my surprise, I could have had equally good chicken at KFC. Not only that, but his chicken and fries were served on simple wax paper, as if we were eating at a fast food establishment! Honestly, I would've rather had KFC.

    Overall though, most of the food was really good, but I didn't feel that it justified the $120 my friend and I spent that night.

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/22/2014

    We went to Publican on a Sunday evening. The food was delicious, but very pricey. The portions were not nearly as large as I had expected which was a bit disappointing but it was pretty darn good. They change the menu each day so you get some unique stuff, but they also run out of things at the end of the day and you can't order additional sides (total bummer after we got a taste of the potatoes and wanted a seperate order).

    The restuarant has an interesting layout, but I would recommend not going with more than four people. You also may be sitting at a long row of shared tables.

    Good food but pricey. Def worth a visit but not sure I would become a regular.

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/27/2014

    Okay food that's very over priced.  I understand that the fish I had was from Japan, but I also didn't realize it would be a few small slices.  Desserts are pretty good too.  

    But I think the thing that turned me off was how loud it was!  The waitress couldn't hear  my order and I could barely hear my date.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/16/2014
    1 check-in

    Back in town & went to a Sunday brunch in the west loop, had made reservations but apparently it was for the following Sunday? My bad.

    They were able to accommodate an extra guest & we went to the standing room bar area for some drinks (mimosa & Bloody Mary with the pilsner side) & were seated about half hour later...

    Pretty busy as expected but seated close to the door which in the midst of Chicago's 90th polar vortex this season, maybe one could have considered to not seat folks there (unless they wore layers? Poor planning on us) but sat at the communal tables which according to my friend is how Avec is set up (same chef?)

    The server who came to get our order seemed a little rushed and distracted (I get it, it's busy!) but like pay some attention to us as we ask questions?? (Then don't gripe and Instagram our receipt when the tip blows); she took our order and we decided to try four dishes with the frites/fried egg + bacon on the side.  

    It was actually very tasty and flavorful, the crab scramble has a subtle taste so if you're looking for huge favors, this may not be it but if you like seafood in your eggs, this would be for you! The clam chowder that had southwest flavors with mild heat and roasted peppers was excellent and the sourdough pancake with bacon wrapped chicken thigh and sausage was also good, just not crazy flavorful. I will say the star of the brunch was that little maple braised bacon and went well with the frites + fried eggs! We then tasted the French toast as desert and couldn't even finish as the three of us were so full...

    My friend got the Bloody Mary and she was loving all the pickled vegetables on it with the side of beer (I felt left out with my mimosa that wasn't even bottomless nor accompanied by anything but a sliced orange, meh). I would recommend that the servers could either ask more about drinks after food is served (I would've maybe tried a Bloody Mary but she never came back!) and the menu is constantly changing apparently so I'd love to come back again & try more dishes, overall was a good experience and the one star is left off for service (good not awful, but room for improvement) and the seating by the cold doorway in the winter months! Check it out for yourself and dream about the dishes in the pics I posted!

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/7/2015

    Great brunch - I would highly recommend the chorizo biscuit and gravy. Streusel coffee cake was also delicious. The spicy pork rinds were a little underwhelming, but overall the meal was great. I will definitely be going back soon.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/7/2014
    1 check-in

    Very cool hipster vibe to the restaurant. It's mostly all communal seating. We came in for Saturday brunch and was told it's their more "experimental" menu. I loved the bacon and Bloody Mary. Both were outstanding!!! Order these two items and you'll leave happy!

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/21/2014
    1 check-in

    I was excited to check out The Publican, mainly for their weekend brunch, after I heard good things about it. My boyfriend and I didn't have a reservation but didn't have to wait to sit either. They sat us at a long table with community seating. While this is a fun way to encourage conversation among strangers, every group/couple pretty much kept to themselves. I'm sure there are others times when a lot more conversation is going on, which could be fun. I wonder how you get a seat in one of the booths with a door when you would rather have some privacy?

    I ordered the pancake, which contained sausage and bacon wrapped chicken thigh in it. I loved the pancake, but it turns out I could've done without the meat all throughout my pancake. Even when I took it out to eat separately it just didn't seem to go well together for me. I gave the meat to my boyfriend though and he really liked it. I don't remember the dish he ordered, but he enjoyed it and got the bacon on the side, which he couldn't stop raving about. He also loved his Bloody Mary. My mimosa was ok, but for $10 I'm not sure it will be worth getting again.

    This place (or at least their brunch - I don't know about their dinner) is not for people that are afraid to try new or unusual food items. If you are afraid, I would suggest possibly staying away. If you are not afraid then be sure to give it a try. I'm curious to check out something other than their brunch in the future. The staff was also very friendly and helpful.

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/7/2014
    1 check-in

    After hearing great raves about the publican from my friends, I was excited to try them out for brunch. We were seated on their terrace that was really nice and we had perfect weather and great service. I ordered the sirloin steak that came with some fresh greens, feta, watermelon and pita. Overall it was a good dish, but nothing incredible. For what I ended up spending, I left underwhelmed by my experience but I wouldn't mind going back and trying something else.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/2/2015

    Enjoyed trip to the publican. The charcuterie plate may have been the best thing we had. Enjoyed the BBQ carrots and pork rib, although it did have a huge inedible piece of fat on it - don't think it was intentional but didn't say anything (should have). Service was very good. Interesting beer menu.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/10/2013

    The pinnacle of Paul Kahan's food empire, seemingly the most respected and frequented by talking to industry folks. My last day in Chicago in a while and my last meal was here before catching a plane out. Caught them in the middle of lunch and dinner services so I got to watch the staff prep, meet and go over what was going to happen for the night. Sat at the bar and realized I should have come with a more leisurely agenda. I spoke beer and Copenhagen with the cicerone for a while as I perused the menu

    -Pork rinds
    -Creminelli ham
    -Frites
    -Bread and pork lard

    Strangely enough, after having been in both Belgium and Denmark, I felt my snacks were very reminiscent of those places. The Danish love their pork lard and the Belgians their Frituurs. Weird how this followed me back from Europe. Folks took really good care of me and as I said I wish I had more time to stay and drink and try much more of their food, when the place is bustling. Alas, it will have to be another time

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/8/2015

    Amazing food!  We had the Chef's choice- definitely would recommend!

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/5/2013
    1 check-in

    The Publican is hip(minus hipsters). It is loud. It is fun. It is easy to see why this eatery is so popular. The food is fun and creative. You want to try it all.

    The Publican is an open wood filled dining hall with booths and communal tables which spans the length plus smaller round standing tables. I think I was already smitten with the charm of the this place.  Will the food be the same?

    To start the pork Rinds was crunchy and slightly spicy. Light and airy. The Potted rillettes was wonderfully light and the cranberry add the right amount of sweetness. Second, was Black Bass thinly sliced was light and fresh. The Prochetta with the crispy outer skin and slightly fatty was decadent and delicious. All while, our server even in the crowded filled hall was still attentive. I can get use to Chicago service unlike New York City.

    In my hometown this would be overrun by boat shoes loving, flood waiting rolled up pants, filled with plaid and pastel wearing hipsters but thankfully in Chicago it was just people who enjoyed the fun but loud ambiance and food that is imaginative.  Hooray for Chicago!

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/29/2014

    Great food, great decor, ok ambience.  The concept is very creative, however communal tables and loud music make it difficult to have a conversation.  Also we went there for brunch and got the scrapple.  I have no idea why they made a 'pork belly patty' that resembled a soggy french toast (flavors were awesome but the concept needs work).  And they give you two of them.  If they would have made it into a hash, it would have been on point.  

    All-in-all, come with an open mind, and get the sticky bun.  You wont regret it.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/9/2014

    You have not lived until you have tried...

    Fries with eggs.

    Suckling pig.

    The end.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/12/2014
    1 check-in

    Great place, unless you want a salad. No, scratch that. They have good veg, too. I've been here a number of times, and have never been disappointed. There are only 2 downsides to this place; location and noise. It's a bit off the beaten path if you're a tourist, and not right next to a train or bus stop, nor is it near any other attraction. And the place inside can get very noisy, especially during a packed dinner hour.

    But if you're in Chicago, and want to check out something that is a bit different from the standard brat and deep dish fare, this is the place to go.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/30/2014

    Part of my wedding vows should have included my veg self sitting at the meatiest of meat restaurants with my husband.

    That being said, this vegetarian gives The Publican a five out of five based upon the husband's rave reviews, fun atmosphere, and great beer selection.

    The place gets pretty loud, and the communal seating could be weird if you're not used to it.  However, for us, it was part of the experience.

    We took a food vacation to Chicago, and this place was on our list of to dos.  For meat eaters,  I feel like it can't be missed.

  • 3.0 star rating
    11/9/2014
    1 check-in

    While the ambiance and setting might deserve a 5-star, the food simply didn't live up to the hype. While not being bad, it was decent but forgettable.

    The lamb tartare and curried carrots were great. Def recommend having those 2 plates. The mussels were decent as well. The chicken and sausage was very disappointing, it was a very bland plate that I didn't enjoy at all. The suckling pig was also not that impressive.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/3/2014

    Gut feeling walking out of this place was probably more like 3.5 stars, but the pork belly was incredible enough to round it up to 4.

    A friend and I came in around 7 on a Thursday and were seated pretty quickly at the bar. The atmosphere is kind of divey and hipster, and the seating resembles a cafeteria in that you share a long table with other people. This didn't really bother me, but it could be a consideration if you're thinking about coming here for a date or something like that.

    Our waiter was informative and helped us navigate the menu (neither of us had ever been before). We ordered the forest mushrooms, the fried clams, and the pork belly.

    My *sole* complaint is that the food took forever to arrive, and the pacing was a bit off. The forest mushrooms came out in a relatively reasonable amount of time, but then afterward we waited another 20 minutes or so for our next dish. I wasn't particularly in a hurry, but after you've eaten one dish, your appetite is piqued and ready for the next one.

    The crowning jewel of the night was the pork belly, which was phenomenal and flavorful and crisp on the outside and all of the positive adjectives I can think of. Don't leave without trying it!!

    All in all, food was great and I'm glad I made it out to try it. I'm not sure I'd wait exorbitant lengths of time for a table here, but if you're in the area when it's not super crowded, I'd definitely recommend a visit.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/2/2014

    This place is pretty pricey and the seating is a bit odd.  I don't like how they change their menu because if I like something I'll only go back there for what I liked.  And if I do go back and what I wanted is not on the menu I'll be pissed!  This hasn't happened yet but if I go back we'll see.  I was pleasantly surprised by this restaurant though...we ordered the "fish stew" which I thought I'd hate because I don't like fish but the name is deceiving because it's seafood in this yummy lemony broth.  Also the "Country Ribs" pork chops were OUT OF THIS WORLD good! Hope those are menu regulars for when I go back!

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/2/2015

    I had been wanting to eat here for a long time. After seeing their butcher service highlighted on local media, I though it would be a cool alternative to a steakhouse for bro nite with my friend Derek. It was an ok evening, nothing bad, but nothing outstanding or making me think I should return for. Especially at $200 for a bro date.
    Now I may have missed out on ordering some of their best offereings, but when you tell the server that this is your that this is your first visit, you would expect that to be their cue to offer suggestions and guidance. Sadly all we got was "well take your time because it can be overwhelming."  It would have been nice to hear about how they make their hams and sausages in house from the server instead of the guy next to us at the communial table. Oysters were good, but again this was only because we got tips from our table mates. Charcuterie was probably the best thing we ordered.  Although I had to request bread to cleanse the palate between bites so I could taste flavors other than salt.
    The Ribeye was a real letdown. At $50 I was expecting a great cut of meat. I'm not gonna say we got Ponderosa, but again, nothing special I couldn't have done myself with a broiler and a USDA choice cut from Marianos. The beer selections on tap were good, and overall I could see why this place had a good reputation and potential for a great dining evening, sadly though, it didn't come together on my visit.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/22/2014

    Excellent service and a great atmosphere. The little gem salad was spectacular! The carrots were great too... It's amazing how well they do sides, considering the focus is the meat, which was spectacular, FYI.

    Great wine list, great service. I'll be back for the pork rinds!

  • 2.0 star rating
    7/29/2014
    1 check-in

    The Publican is all the rave and has been for months, maybe even a year or so.  I'm glad I finally tried it for brunch but it won't be a place I return.  I like the concept, the communal seating and the high-top tables for those waiting for a table to clear, but in my party of four, none of us were impressed with our food.  It was okay. I had the waffles, bacon and hash browns.  My hash browns were way too crunchy (i.e. a little burnt) and hard to eat.  The waffles were fine - very light and airy and the butter to add on top was good.  The bacon was well made, once I got used to it as it had a ton of fat (this was not the bacon you get at the supermarket).  

    Also, if you have certain dietary restrictions (no wheat, dairy or other foods) there is a limited menu here.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/14/2014
    1 check-in

    This place has the best of the B's

    Brunch

    Blood Mary's

    Bacon

    That literally sums this place up

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/2/2014

    I couldn't find a thing to complain about! All-in-all, The Publican made for a perfect birthday brunch with my partner.

    I always order beer but I couldn't resist ordering from the specialty drink menu. So many creative offerings. I opted for the "brunch box" which was bitter but not too strong. For an appetizer we split the frittes with an egg. Apparently frittes are supposed to be crispy. These were not. I preferred them more on the soggy side. Perfect for dipping in egg yolk.

    For the meal I ordered the duck confit and my bf ordered the sourdough pancake. The duck was ultra flavorful and a bit spicey. The pancake was the perfect blend of salty and sweet.

    The waitstaff is expertly attentive and knew the menu well. We asked for some suggestions and our server lead us to the right dishes. Or maybe everything here is just delicious.

    It's a bit pricey. Yes. But the food and atmosphere are worth every penny. I couldn't have asked for a better way to start off a new year than with a full belly.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/3/2014

    Publican works hard to present itself in a certain way.  I'm not sure how to say it.   It's not cowboy chic.  It's not cowboy at all, really.   It's more like "I'm an unapologetic meat eater in the city.  And I understand there are issues with that but I've thought them through and I have decided that my view correct..thank you.   Also I'm probably a 50 year old male, who is a fat ass who doesn't work out".  

    There's something a bit contrived and self serving here.  Non organic, if you will.

    As part of my quest to become an honorary hipster, I rode a divvy bike from my cubicle in the loop to Publican to get a sandwich for lunch.  

    I read their menu with great interest and wanted to make sure I made the optimal choice.  After great thought, I decided on the Chicken Parm.

    Then I waited.  It took awhile, but I felt uncomfortable asking how much longer it might be to make a sandwich.  I read on their website that they say a prayer before they slit the throats of the goats they use for their sandwiches.  Really.  They are meat monks here. publicanqualitymeats.com

    In the interim, I surveyed the meats on display in the deli case.  They have salami for $30/lb.  I love salami and was really tempted.  But I decided that this is not part of the divvy bike thing I'm doing...$50 for lunch and extras is too much, so I passed.  There were some samples however, and they were good. I ate each salami slice in several bites since I felt it would be rude to eat too much too fast, since there were prayers and meat geniuses involved.

    After 10 or 15 minutes my sandwich was ready.   Back in my cubicle 15 minutes later,  I unpacked and had lunch.

    The chicken parm was good, not great, and very filling.  There was potato salad in a small plastic container.  It looked like vomit from the outside, but  had interesting flavors I didn't expect.  I also got a pickle wedge thoughtfully encased in a perfectly matching pickle wedge shaped Ziploc bag.  This was good too, but again had a slightly different flavors than expected.

    While I ate, I entertained several questions from nearby cubicle dwellers regarding what was what, and where it was from.  It was all very interesting.

    I'll be back to pubican.  They have good sandwiches.  And they are interesting.  Maybe I'll have a beer too so I can relax a little.

    .

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/1/2014

    I ordered the Lobster omelette and it was Superb. It tasted so fresh like it just came from the ocean. The most decadent thing i ever had.

    I also tried the hash and it was ok.
    I wish it was a little heavier and more flavor

    I love this place and will go back

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/2/2014 Updated review

    So i didn't get rich ... but the bf's mom was in town.  so we got to go back to the publican and actually eat food.

    And holy schnikes, it was good.  

    Started off with a dozen oysters, they were the freshest i've had in chicago.  salty, a little sweet and super meaty. followed by probably the best artichoke i'd ever eaten.  i figured the veggies would be kinda boring since they're tucked in the corner of the menu. nope. one of the best dishes of the night.  the artichoke was roasted perfectly, so flavorful. Then the chicken liver pate, delicious, but wayy too filling.  The apple salad, which was refreshing, tart and delicious.  

    My warning to you would be the plates are not that small!  certainly not tapas style even though they are to share.  Order two or three at a time and see where you're at.  we were soo full when we left.

    Absolutely wonderful and original food.  High quality ingredients.

    5.0 star rating
    9/27/2014 Previous review
    Ok so we just got beer here but....

    This is the best beer list in Chicago.
    Best.
    Beer list.
    In.
    Chicago.…
    Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    11/12/2014

    I'm not sure the Publican needs much more in the way of hype for their wonderful food, which manages to turn some simple high quality ingredients into something I can hardly believe exists, pretty much every time I go.

    Instead I'll focus on the specifically great service my wife and I had on our first anniversary. Not only did we receive complimentary sparkling wine with our meal, as well as candles in our desert (1 for each of us), but everyone from the servers to the bussers, runners and management bent over backwards at literally every turn to assure our experience was magical.

    The food was exemplary throughout, with the exception of one near-miss, a porchetta that had a different style of presentation than I'd had years before. It wasn't the perfect bite I remembered, but was far from returnable. Nonetheless, when the server recognized that I had eaten very little of the dish (largely because we were both pretty stuffed due to the perfectly ample portion sizes of the other dishes), he offered to remove the item from our bill completely.

    When it came time for us to pay for our bill, we used a gift certificate we had received as a (really awesome) wedding gift. The server was great about handling the bill and the ensuing weirdness of subtracting gift certificates then using a card to help with the tip. Long story short, there were about 5-6 different ways that our meal could have potentially been less than spectacular, but at every turn, the staff at the Publican did exactly the right thing to assure we had the kind of memorable evening we had hoped for.

    In a Chicago restaurant scene that can so often be focused on what's trendy, what's ringing the register, or how quickly they can turn your table, it's really refreshing to see an extremely busy and popular restaurant like The Publican deliver such impeccably thoughtful, non-pretentious service alongside fresh, innovative, delightful food.

    Kudos, guys, for making our anniversary kick so much ass.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/6/2015

    This was easily a top 5 all-time dining experience. We went with the chef's choice and it was amazing. You think you don't like beef heart tartare, you will after you've had it here. Great frites and aioli - seriously Belgian style. Great food, great staff, great atmosphere. Simply Great.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/28/2014
    1 check-in

    Don't like communal seating? Try typing in the comments section on OpenTable and request for a booth. I've tried this twice during peak dinner hours and have been fortunate enough to get private tables. Worth a shot especially if you're reserving anyway through OpenTable.

    My personal favorites here--the pork belly and squid ink pasta. Amazing!

    Also love the decor here.
    Cute ceiling lights. Cute plates. Unique bathroom setup.

    Will make a visit again in the near future.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 4.0 star rating
    3/20/2014
    Listed in Chicago Food Tour

    My food tour group went to The Publican at 3:30pm so we just had access to the afternoon menu.

    We ordered a half meat and a half cheese plate and some beers. The beer selection is great!  It was a nice place to chill and we were the only ones there at that time. The ambiance and the communal table setup were beautiful but the service was lackluster.

    I would be intrigued to go back during a busy dinner and try a full meal! It is definitely worth checking out.

  • 2.0 star rating
    8/27/2014

    This place is so loud that we all had to shout at each other to be heard.  Even then, it's like we were playing telephone all night.  Definitely not my type of place.  
    Visually, it is kind of cool though.  It looks like a huge German beer house where everyone should be singing at the top of their lungs and slamming beer mugs down on big communal tables.

    I love meat.  I am a carnivore that eats vegetables when it accidentally gets stuck on my fork.  And yet I found the pork here to be kind of dry and not particularly flavorful.  I actually don't remember what we ordered because it was so unmemorable.  Maybe we just ordered the wrong stuff, but I doubt I'll ever find out because I don't ever see myself gong back there.

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/7/2014

    It's okay.

    It used to be great about 2 years ago. I have been here countless times for brunch and dinner. The last time I came for dinner was underwhelming. I truly love this place and it's potential. I am a fan of all other Paul Kahan establishments. Unfortunately the meal was mediocre. We had:

    2 dozen oysters-solid
    Mussels-used to be amazing, now just okay
    Flounder- so salty
    Country Rib-portion was excessive and after a couple picks, left the table whole
    Green Beans-Burrata is amazing, obviously
    Angel Food cake- Unbelievably good

    This passed weekend for brunch.

    Wine poached eggs- the wine creates this weird film around the egg and it's too     potent for my palette, also the little crostinis under the eggs are not my favorite
    Fries- Very good
    Doughnut- simply a glazed doughnut but executed well
    Coffee Cake- Excellent, very good, would order again

    Overall two okay experiences. With so many amazing restaurants in the city I don't think I'll be back here anytime soon.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/2/2014

    Have you ever been to a place so good you kept eating to the point of nearly purging? That was me at The Publican.

    Though my sis-in-law told her husband that we should have made reservations, we threw caution to the wind and just went on in there. That led us to a 45 minute wait. No biggie! During our wait, we ordered some drinks, a sticky bun, and a coffee cake. I enjoyed my brunch box, but I tried my sister-in-law's bloody mary (with beer chaser) and I've never enjoyed a bloody mary like I enjoyed hers. The sticky bun was the highlight of pre-brunch - none of us could stop eating it! I've never had a sticky bun that was so delicious in my life.

    Then came brunch. The menu is like nothing else you have seen out there. This place had tons of options that you don't generally see - it was a welcome change. We decided to order a little of everything and share - it's a community table kind of place, so why not? We got some pate with bread, an oven-baked sourdough pancake, some pork rinds, fries with eggs over 'em, and, craziest of all, a morcilla (blood sausage) and egg plate that I was sure I would not enjoy. Back in the day, when my grandma was still killing our food in order to cook it, my grandma did things like bake lamb's blood and serve it to me as meat (because it hardens to almost meat-like consistency once cooked), so I ate it and was later told I ate blood and everyone thought it was funny. Yeah, my grandma got me good. So good she nearly took my love of baked blood from me forever.

    Luckily, I was able to move past my grandma's lies and debauchery and try the morcilla. I've got to say, it was my favorite dish there! Though the fries with eggs and pork rinds were off-the-charts tasty, the morcilla won my heart. I didn't even care about the stupid pancake or pate (even though they were delicious as well) after I had a taste of eggy fries, morcilla, and pork rinds. Those pork rinds - you know they have to be fried, but when you get them there's no evidence of grease anywhere. Even biting in, they felt light and fluffy. Oh, yeah, then there's the coffee. Good to the last drop.

    The place itself is gorgeous and welcoming and top that off with great service and insanely good food. Next time you're in Chicago, this place is a must.

  • 1.0 star rating
    11/16/2014

    Avoid this place. Service is good, menu is awful. I had better food at the United center last night. Go to Au Cheval for a real good meal.

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/8/2014

    Hype. I didn't know hipsterdom existed outside of SF in such full unabashed glory.

    $80 before tip for two and I wasn't what you'd call "full". Absolutely not a restaurant I'd typically go to, though the quality of every dish (meager portions) was absolutely exceptional. It's just not really my scene or kind of place.

    Excellent beer menu.

    Not enough to bring me back ever again.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/31/2015 Updated review

    Had Saturday brunch here with some friends. Great food. Loved the asprargus with grits, sunny side eggs and prosciutto. Harissa sirloin with couscous was great. Maple sausages to die for. Waffles with honey butter and rhubarb were delicious, but it wasn't until they were brought out a third time that the kitchen made ones that weren't as hard and crispy as hard toast. Our waiter apologized profusely and made sure they got the order right. Also, delicious bottomless coffee.

    4.0 star rating
    5/1/2012 Previous review
    Amazing food. I had the seared scallops - they were a dream. Duck was cooked to perfection. Fries… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    3/8/2014

    I went on a Friday night for dinner around 8pm. We didn't wait very long at a hightop before being seated at the bar. It was a fun experience to sit close to where they poured beers and made drinks.
    Food-meat plate, quail, pork belly and fried cauliflower and spicy date cake. Pork belly was the most amazing I've had ever!!! The fried cauliflower was my second most favorite dish. The others were ok, not bad but not the best thing ever. There were lots if delicious items coming out and I look forward to going back soon!

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/2/2014
    2 check-ins

    We sat outside for brunch since it was the no-wait option. The dining room was empty but I suppose it was booked solid with reservations. We ordered shakshouka and lobster scramble. All I can say is: get the lobster scramble! There's a reason it's on every table. The shakshouka was nice but very heavy for breakfast. Also got a side of bacon which was decadent but again very heavy. Go if you like hearty breakfasts!

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/12/2014

    Easily the best breakfast I've had in a very long time.

    Rock Crab Scramble: perfectly scrambled eggs with ample sweet crab and fresh dill - a surprisingly light dish

    Red Wine Poached Eggs: a fresh interpretation of eggs Benedict with a light sauce and balanced with prosciutto - highly recommended

    Bacon: order it.  Just do it.  Thank me later. It will completely change how you look at bacon and will most definitely raise your expectations of all pork

    Service: professional and efficient without being over the top

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/19/2014
    Listed in Best Beer AND Food

    I have been to Publican several times over the years.  Recently, one of our friends mentioned that Publican serves Brunch.  WHAT?  Sign me up!  We went with a group of 6 and had a great time.  

    I have to preface our meal by saying that when you go to Publican there is one thing you MUST get.  Get the Pork Rinds.  Get the Pork Rinds.  Get the Pork Rinds.  Got it?  Good.  

    Our brunch started off with a round of Bloody Marys.  Most got the regular, but I ordered the "smokin mary" which is chipotle spiced and made with whiskey.  It was great.  All of the bloody marys come with a 6 oz beer included on the side (you can choose a pilsner, an IPA, or an imperial stout).  I love a good chaser.  

    For the meal, highlights included three of our party ordering the rock crab scramble (amazing), and I ordered a griddle pancake filled with different sausages.  It was a little sweet, but the savory sausages balanced it well.  Besides our entrees, we ordered several sides of thick bacon.  WOW.  We also got the old fashioned doughnut for brunch dessert.  I was barely able to eat anything at that point, but it was still awesome.  

    Brunch was amazing.  From other experiences, dinner is even better.  Some might not like the communal seating, but the private booths (with doors!) and side tables make up for it.  Go to Publican!

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/15/2013

    For ambiance/experience I give it 3 stars, 4 for food.

    We had reservations for a 6:30 dinner on Saturday. When we got there the restaurant was only about half full, which caused me to be a little annoyed when the hostess sat a group of three rightnexttous at a long communal table. I mean, I'm OK with sharing my space, but it felt really awkward to be at an empty 10-foot long table with no one but the five of us crammed in a corner. Our waitress was awkward. I have no other way to describe her other than that. And we were in the corner that had a door open to the street, which provided a nice breeze, but workers from the kitchen kept bumping into my purse as they travelled out the door and across the street.

    For two of us, we had the Little Gem salad, then a pasta with crab, the turnips and suckling pig. The salad was one of the best I've had. We loved it and will definitely get it again - nice greens with pieces of pig's ear. I probably could've had that just to myself and been happy. The pasta dish was good. The crab flavor was subtle and it had some crunchy, buttery bread crumbs mixed in. The pasta felt a little tough though and detracted from the rest of the ingredients. We didn't care for the turnips. They weren't well-seasoned and seemed undercooked. They came to our table alone (the food comes out as it's ready), so we were stuck with those by themselves for a while. We didn't finish it. Then came the suckling pig, which was fabulous. Probably some of the tastiest, juiciest pork I've had. I only wish there had been more of it.

    For dessert we had the caramel pound cake that came with a marigold ice cream (I couldn't identify that flavor) and blackberries. It was really tasty but not very caramel-y.

    Hubs said he had two beers he liked that he'd never heard of, so that was a win in his book.

    All in all, our tab was about $110, which was a decent price for the meal. We were full when we left, but the meal was hit-and-miss. We'd probably come back, but there's a handful of similar restaurants we like better that we'll head to first.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/13/2014

    I have been to Publican twice and this place blows it out of the park!!

    The cocktails, beer selection, wine selection, wow.

    Every dish is crafted with such care. You cannot go wrong.

    Last time we dined I tried such a huge array of dishes I don't even know where to start. Highlights were the beef tongue, beets, peaches, and heirloom tomatoes.

    However the menu changes frequently.

    I've never had a bad entree or dish. Everything is crafted with care and such precision. The staff is all top notch. Service impeccable.

    I highly recommend going and trying new things.

    My mouth is watering just thinking about our last meal!

    The sushi and seafood looks very impressive and I am eager to go back and try more dishes.

    For fun side dishes, the pork rinds are AMAZING.

    Enjoy your next meal there! Cosmo, the head chef, is a culinary treat!

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/4/2014

    You can' t come here without trying the charcuterie plate...well at least since they have their own butcher shop and market right next door.  The plate of meat was pretty tasty and had a good variety.  If you plan on nomming a few other items, stick to the half plate.  Next, we had the suckling pig and the duck confit with a side of the brussels sprouts...all were delightful.  Very cool and different atmosphere here.  Had a barn appeal as some of the booths that lined the walls were enclosed by wooden stall doors which allowed for cool little private parties.  Service was pretty outstanding.... And I found a fantastic pear cider that I can't get anywhere else.  Been looking for it since.  :(

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/14/2014

    I'll keep this short. Get the bacon.

    Yours Truly,
    Eric

    But seriously, this place is bomb.  For brunch, I split the frites with fried eggs and the bacon to start and had the pork sisig as my meal.  Everything was cooked perfectly.  And that bacon. With the huge fat cap, I'm stil trying to figure out how they made it so buttery. The fat just melts in your mouth. I have dreams about this bacon.  I think about this bacon when I'm eating other bacon.

    If you like pork/hearty foods, you won't be disappointed.

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/30/2014

    This is a cool spot with the ever so popular communal seating, however there were separate stalls if you had reservations. I didn't love the stand up bar. The food was good.  Of note was the ceviche which was our favorite item of the night (yes....ceviche in a meat based restaurant). We thought our suckling pig would have been more tender and almost braised, but instead the texture was more like a tough pork tenderloin. Everyone seemed to enjoy the food and it was pretty busy.  A solid choice for dinner.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/23/2013

    Our 2nd day dinner in Chicago was at the Publican (@thepublican2008) and it was our favorite from our trip. The portion are rather large, so I definitely wish there was more of us. Some main was meant to share for 2 people which we can't order since we wanted to order more dishes instead of one big one. We were so stuffed after dinner that we decided to take a 45mins walk back to the hotel.

    The place was pack on the Wednesday night we went, so I would highly recommend reservation. They mainly have one big communal table (reminiscent of 16the century European banquets) that goes all around and seats up to 100 people side by side; there's also some small booth seats on one side and bar seats on the other. In the center, there was some three tiered cocktail tables where guest can lean on and have a drink while waiting.

    the Publican is a beer focus restaurant in the Fulton Market District in Chicago featuring pork and fish/seafood preparations.... but you will be quick to notice that the meat section are centered around pork. The menu tends to change daily to reflect the seasonal availability of products.

    There was piggy drawing all around the place, so there's no doubt that we need to order some pork ;)

    As we sat down, we immediately order a Spicy Pork Rinds $5 and some Beer while deciding what to order.  We end up sharing 3 beer cause beer fill me up and I prefer to leave room to eat.

    Trappistes Rochefort 8 $14
    ~ Braisserie de Rochefort, Belgium, 9.20%
    ~ Don't let the color fool you, it was a rather fruity sweet beer with a caramel maltiness, dry fruit flavor to it and a crisp finish

    Duvel Belgian Golden Strong Ale $9
    ~ Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat N.V, Belgium, 8.50%
    ~ This one have a slight bitterness to it and a hop flavor to it... I def like this a lot better than the first.

    Alpha King Pale Ale $5
    ~ Three Floyds BrewingCo., Indiana, 6.00%
    ~ The pale ale have a rather deep amber color w/ a very creamy head to it and it has a citrus aroma and hoppy finish.
    ~ This is definitely my kind of beer and my fave out of the 3 we ordered.

     Beets $11
    ~ burrata, arugula, walnut, saba
    ~ I just love the creaminess of burrata and nothing better than having it together with one of my favorite veggies, beet.

    Charcuterie Plate $15 (half)
    ~ Every time I see Charcuterie on the menu, I will ask if it's made in house and theirs was made at their Butcher Shop Publican Quality Meat just across the street.
    ~ I am sold right away and I was definitely not disappointed since we loved every elements here... from the meat and pate to the pickles and mustard. Sort of like the crisp younger pickles, less overwhelming and wouldn't take over the flavor of the other food.

    Pork Belly $24
    ~ grits, radish & asparagus
    ~ Just look at this huge block of melt in your mouth fatty goodness that's packed with flavors.
    ~ The grits was creamy and light which balance out the pork belly, also love how they shaved the asparagus on top which looks really pretty.

    Honeycomb Tripe $8
    ~ This was so soft and packed with flavors, dip your bread in the sauce and clean the plate good.
    ~ I couldn't find this on their online menu so maybe this was a special

    Blood Sausage $18
    ~ It hit the spot once again, perfect texture and casing with the perfect roasted cauliflowers. Just like the charcuterie plate, the sausage was mad by their butcher shop.
    ~ Love the sprinkles of pistachio which is a must to give some sort of contrast in texture to the soft blood sausage.

    Squash Cake $18
    ~ bosc pears, maple-sherry syrup, pear butter, pepitas & ricotta ice cream
    ~  Love the how the squash cake was served warm and that was probably the smoothest ricotta ice cream I ever had... the pear butter was different. All the flavors and texture just combine so perfectly.

    Verdict :
    ~ Simple at it's best
    ~ Will definetely come back if I'm in Chicago again.
    ~ Highly recommended, especially for beer lovers
    ~ Great Food, Great Price, Great Portion & Great Service

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/11/2015

    This place was awesome! Went here for a date night before seeing The Book of Mormon and it was a great decision for dinner. This place is a community dinning setting so if you come with a group expect to be seated with another group of guests. Since we were a group of two & got there early we got one of their two top tables. The menu is split up between veggie's, fish, and meats & I've heard it changes (could be wrong about that this was my first visit). The food was amazing and if you love oysters they have a special menu where you can choose your perfect oyster to slurp. Also, found a new hand/body soap thanks to what they offer in the bathroom area lol!

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/13/2014
    3 check-ins

    I cannot express how much I love this place.  Awesome..  I was not a huge pork eater however I am now.  bacon and pork belly.  OMG!!!

    Just to mix it up a bit, other things like quail, calamari, etc were ordered as well.  I love the ambiance, people, the decor, location.  

    I'm not a beer drinker however my colleague convinced me to try this stout beer with coffee.  Soooo good! Very smooth and not an overpowering coffee taste either.

    Job well done.  I cannot believe I have not been here sooner.

    I would highly recommend this place!!!

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/5/2015

    a recent Memorial Day weekend in Chicago brought me and my bf to the Publican for the chef's tasting menu before drinks at the Aviary.

    the tasting menu was the most logical choice since there were so many cool things on the menu that we couldn't decide what to order, and it wasn't too crazily priced (though we live in Brooklyn, so our sense of what makes sense price-wise is warped).

    let's try to recap:
    -beets (maybe the best beets dish i've had, and i'm pretty meh on beets)
    -i requested the hamachi crudo from the Tsukiji fish market as part of the coursing, the part of me that loves the environment and eating local was embarrassed by my excitement for it, but it was so good.
    -halibut w/ fava beans and radishes, fresh and light and the sour cream sauce was amazing.
    -chicken liver pate w/ currants on ciabatta, yummm!
    -duck hearts, they came with red cabbage and some sort of tasty sauces on bread, i loved everything about this dish except the hearts cuz the part of me that wishes i were vegetarian cried a little at the cute little duck hearts. but they were prepared very well and my bf enjoyed them greatly.
    -pulled pork, at this point we were so full, but it was so delicious we basically force-fed ourselves
    -barbecue carrots, we loved these and neither of us even likes carrots
    -squash w/ feta and some sort of hot sauce, i loved this dish and wished there was more room in my stomach for it
    -there was a really good coffee dessert, it was like a custard under cookie crumbles and ice cream, i don't remember anything except enjoying it, but never wanting to eat again b/c i was so full.

    i think what made this such an excellent place was how they took things i normally am not into eating like beets and carrots and elevated them so much that i was like YUM DELICIOUS GET IN MY MOUTH. also made me even more excited about things i normally like eating. that's talent. great place for omnivores and vegetarians alike. also we lucked out and got to sit on the outdoor patio at our own table on a lovely warm summer day. i feel like i would've liked it slightly less if i had had to sit at a communal table indoors.

  • 1.0 star rating
    4/24/2015

    Thought this place would be amazing, but so sadly disappointed. The oysters were great, but everything went downhill from that point. The sea bass was so dry and we could not justify paying he price for it. It was slathered in butter and yet they could not make it taste good...,very disappointed. The chicken then came, we were so excited to eat it because it looked so delicious, but we were once again disappointed. It was soooo salty that I had to forego my wine and drink water constantly to offset the over salted food. Overall, it was a huge disappointment for us. Sorry publican but huge thumbs down x 2 from my husband and I. Terrible so not yummy food....and peeps reading this...we are usually pretty generous with our criticism.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/21/2014

    Our fantastic dinner started with oysters.  East coast ones are sweet and west coast ones are briny.  Or the other way around.  Who knows.  All we know is that they were FRESH and delicious.  This was followed by a grand pork and fish filled feast.  The spicy pork rinds were a pleasant surprise. A few in our party weren't thrilled with the corral-style doors for each booth--it felt kind of claustrophobic.  

    Overall, you can definitely taste the love they put into their dishes, and nothing was short on flavor.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/9/2015

    My husband and I came to The Publican for my birthday dinner. We sat at the communal table and loved the atmosphere. It is a little loud, so if you can't handle a lot of background noise it might be difficult.

    The service was wonderful. Our waiter helped pick out some great beers and a bottle of wine. He was very attentive throughout the night.

    We started with the chef's selection of oysters, the 3 hams served with goat butter, and the spicy pork rinds. All were delicious and we both agreed we would have to order them again when we come back. We also had the sweet potatoes which had great flavor. The only reason I took off one star was that a few of the plates we ordered (duck breast and scallops) were just ok. I would stick to ordering several of the smaller dishes on their menu next time and skip those. For dessert they brought out a small cake because it was my birthday, which was pretty much the most delicious cake I've ever had. And we also ordered the waffles, which were out of this world. So make sure you leave room for dessert.

    The cost of the all the dishes does add up, so we would go again for a special occasion. Overall, it was a very good experience.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/23/2015
    1 check-in

    Brunch is key to when I come to eat here. The food is amazing to say the least and the prices are fair. It's always a good idea to try to make a reservation ahead especially on Sunday's. Delicious food and a great atmosphere.

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/21/2014
    1 check-in

    Strictly for the standing bar, during brunch, because:

    They don't take reservations over the phone, which we were informed of upon calling.
    They devote their seating completely to reservations during this time, and they'll fit you in only if a party cancels, which we were *not* informed of upon calling. No idea why they felt leaving out this bit of information, while we were inquiring about the wait over the phone, was appropriate.
    No food orders at the standing bar--drinks only.

    --

    So then, we had drinks:

    Brunch box - Small in size, similar to a beer tasting glass. General comments observed amongst our group was that it was very good, but they just wished it came with more.

    Publican "mimosa" - Instead of champagne, they use a belgian beer in its place. Standard size, however nothing that invigorated my senses. You could whip up the same concoction with another belgian beer of your choice with some orange juice and yield similar results.

    Coffee is bottomless.

    --

    Their bathrooms can take you to a far away place--a must see. Their soaps and lotion are nice details also. Service was professional, besides the incompleteness of their response upon calling. It's too bad we didn't have time to spare for the quoted 1.5 hour wait.. for a table to *possibly* open up. We went over to Publican Quality Meats for some grub following our drinks instead.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/2/2013 Updated review

    Dinner was just as good as brunch!!!

    Chefs selection of oysters were so fresh. I loved each one. The mussels were fantastic. The broth was light, garlicy and addicting. Came with so much bread! Potted rillettes were OUT OF CONTROL. unreal. The french fries were crispy and came with a heavenly garlic sauce.

    Lastly, we got the country rib. I have never had a better piece of meat. The outside was charred, but sweet and the inside was so juicy.

    This meal really stands out.

    5.0 star rating
    5/28/2012 Previous review
    I came back here and loved my food even more! After noticing that the menu changed, I was a bit… Read more
    5.0 star rating
    4/2/2012 Previous review
    Publican oh Publican! I have been dying to come here for brunch and it did not disappoint one bit! … Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    4/6/2015

    Great place. Service was prompt and very good at their job. The food was great and the beer selection was great. Everything was great but I recommend the country ribs and falafel

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/26/2014
    1 check-in

    My girlfriend and I went to this place on a cold, wintry Sunday morning in January after a long night. I got a little too tipsy, so I figured I'd treat the lady to a decent brunch to crawl my way out of the dog house.

    The Publican opens at 10:00 on Sunday, so we got here at 9:45 and we were the first to be seated. However, people were rolling in by the bunches despite the bad weather. The place was popping off anyway. Most of the seating is communal, and the booths on the edges are doored pig stalls. We sat communal and didn't mind the seating arrangements.

    The woman and I, feeling a bit hungover,
    had already established that being healthy was at the bottom of our priority list, and thus started off with the pork rinds and bacon. Both were delicious, though a bit overpriced.

    Pork rinds - $5 - Pork rinds that you would buy at a 711, except poured out of the bag into a metal cup. Good, but worth $5? No, probably not.

    Bacon - $7 - 2 thick pieces of maple syrup-glazed bacon. This was unbelievable. The bacon melts in your mouth and the maple syrup adds a nice touch. The best bacon I've had in my life. Worth the $7? Yes, this is why you come to The Publican. $7 for 2 thick pieces of bacon is expensive, but if you come here, you know you are going to overpay for some delicious food. If you are complaining about the prices, then that is your fault for the lack of research.

    We loved the appetizers, and were eagerly awaiting the 2 main dishes we ordered. She got the:

    Rock Crab Scramble - $19 - This is scrambled eggs mixed with some veggies and crab along with a few pieces of bread. It was pretty delicious, however after finishing she wished she would have ordered something else. Worth the $19? Honestly, no, not really. It's hard to screw up scrambled eggs. The Publican simply marked the price up about 300% because the dish contains crab. Still good though, like I said, we were aware of the prices before attending.

    Then my dish, which was the:

    Slagel Farm Sirloin Steak - $17 - Thinly cut pieces of rare-cooked sirloin steak on top of a large piece of sourdough bread. On top of the steak was a fried egg, some avocado, pico de gallo and cilantro. This plate was heavy and great for padding the tummy after liquor-filled night. Put me right to sleep after. The only gripe I have about the dish is that the steak was too chewy, which is to expect from sirloin. Thus, I place the blame on myself for the choice. It was still very good. Worth the $17? Yes, I would say it is, however next time I'll be getting something else.

    The girl and I departed a fat and happy young Chicago couple, giggling at the piglet who glared at us as we walked to the car. (Note: there a sign of a pig in front of the restaurant. Vegans *eye roll*). The Publican is a bit pricey, however you pay for what you get. Quality food. We will be back. 4 stars here.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/10/2013
    1 check-in

    My co-workers and I made reservations at this fine dining location months in advance. One of them has promised it was an experience not to be missed, I am SO glad we didn't.

    Words of wisdom: Come with a group, bring your appetite, and leave the vegetarians at home.

    I'm pretty sure we ordered 75% of the menu and every morsel was memorable.  I'd love to give you a play by play but the amount of food we ordered was borderline offensive and yes, we ate it all. It looks like their menu rotates on the regular but I would recommend getting the taste of three hams for a starter and the bread pudding (Uhh just heaven) for a finisher.

    Service was quick, friendly and patient. The atmosphere was lively and intimate at the same time. We're counting down the days to our next training session just to come back again

  • 2.0 star rating
    2/8/2015

    The food was good, though very rich.  Service was not NOT good!!!!!

    3 hostess were in the empty foyer and not one of them can say hello and make eye contact for almost a minute.  All we got was a "just a moment please" as the person who was obviously in charge typed away.  Awkward and not a great start.

    We were sharing a bar table with another couple who had arrived about 15 minutes after we did.  There were two spots available for two at the communal table that I could see.  One was jammed in between two parties of four and the other beyond a corner at the end.  Obviously the latter was the far better table.  And who got the latter.......the couple who arrived 15 minutes after we did.  I was told if I wanted to wait for a table where we could actually have a conversation it would be 40 minutes.  When I asked why they gave the better table to a party that we could see arrived long after we did, I got a charming eye roll.  AT least eye contact was made this time.

    They ask you to pay your bar server before being seated.  No problem, but he disappeared.  We had to grab a manager.....who then also disappeared.  Finally got our card back after about 5 minutes.

    The waiter had to talk so loud that he was spitting on me.  He did not know the beer list well at all.  After he talked about the menu, I had a few questions, but he ran off before I could ask them.

    We ate our food, which was good.  Couldn't talk too much due to our seating arrangement and left as fast as we could.

    I had been looking forward to trying this spot for a long time.  While the food was good, service does matter.  I won't be back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/26/2014
    1 check-in

    Top 5 best restaurants in the city!  

    Almost impossible to not order more than 75% of the menu whenever you attend.  Just sit back and let the server bring what they think is best as you'll enjoy every dish.  

    Oysters, rillettes, pork rinds, and the waffles are a must.  Rest continues to shine.....pig and beer....does it get any better than that?!

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/15/2013
    1 check-in

    Can I give more than 5 stars?

    Loved this place and everything about it. My sister and I came here for dinner for our last night in Chicago and pre-Book of Mormon watching. Such an excellent choice, don't mind taking credit for picking this one! (Heehee.) We came a bit early and were seated right away on the patio. I know that everyone orders the charcuterie or oysters but we weren't feeling like either (or rather, my sister wanted the charcuterie and I was not feeling like eating a plate of ham and cheese for dinner). We settled on the porchetta with a side of roasted cauliflower and my sister ordered a St Feiullien Belgian ale.

    The porchetta. WOW. As the star of the meal, it did not disappoint. Fatty, savory, delicious goodness on a plate, it also came with a smattering of beans that seemed unusual at first but over time revealed itself as a perfect accompaniment to the richness of the meat. The size was just substantial enough to feed two of us when paired with the small skillet of roasted cauliflower. The roasted cauliflower was so amazing I ended up going home to look up how to roast my own and do up a little dish myself. I think it might have been the amazing tapenade/olives that came with it, but it was rockstar-status.

    My sister said her beer was the best beer she'd ever had, so there's that, too.

    Ultimately, we left happy and full and with plenty of time to spare for our show, which ended up being just as, if not more, excellent than the lovely meal at Publican.

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/15/2014
    Listed in Chicago Eats

    I was really excited to try out The Publican as that has been on my list for a while.  The setup in there is a communal dining, while along the perimeter, there were little dining 'compartments' to be away from dining with strangers.  We were lucky to have one of these!  Our server was extremely friendly and nice.  The Spicy Pork Rinds were already ordered by my cousins with their beverages, and while I'm not much of a rinds fan, it was actually pretty okay - salty, not spicy. From the menu, we ordered oysters as a 'Chef's Selection' - there was minced garlic, and the each of the oysters from a different region had a different taste.  The Bouchot Mussels were okay - the mussels were extremely small, but, the broth was nice and salty, and was good with the complimentary crusty bread.  The whole Farm Chicken was a simple roasted chicken, but I think it had too many herbs as it was very floral.  The crinkle-cut french fries that came with were all soggy from the chicken juice.  The raelotte, which was a sweeter version of potatoes, had little pickles and cheese, which were good as it was a play on sweet vs. savory. The tasting of all the Three Hams was interesting as I was intrigued by the 'goat butter' (had a shortbread kind of a consistency).  We also had some scallops, which were also underwhelming, as they were also flavorless. I really liked the tall wooden doors in the bathroom as well as the communal sink - it was pretty neat!  I am glad that I was able to try this place out, though!

    +Spicy Pork Rinds
    +raelotte
    +communal dining/compartment dining available

  • 2.0 star rating
    1/27/2015

    Based on a friend's recommendation, we chose Publican to celebrate my son's 25th Birthday. We made reservations online and under special requests we indicated we were celebrating my son's Birthday. Publican is set up for "private dining", meaning they lock you into a stall with a table and bench, super tight quarters or "family style", you can share a long table with other diners not in your group. We decided on the stall..ugh, totally cramped all night, could barely move. Our waitress, Rebekah was pleasant and since this was our 1st time at Publican she explained, the restaurant was more of a "tapas or family style" restaurant. Based on her recommendations, we ordered 4 entrees, 2 sides and 1 appetizer. She stated that, "as the food is finished being prepared",  then it would be served. Hence the family style, cause it's awkward to eat your meal when your companions do not have theirs.
    The pork rinds arrived soon after our order was taken, tasty but not very filling. Our reservation was for 5:30 and there were a few diners seated,  the restaurant was maybe 1/4 filled. As the time passed, the restaurant filled up with diners. After about 45 minutes of waiting for our next course (entrees & sides), we started noticing that the diners who had arrived after us were being served their meals. Another 15 minutes passed, now these diners were paying their bill and we still had just the consumed pork rinds. We asked Rebekah where our food was and she said we should be patient, IDK but waiting 1 hour was patient.
    She finally went into the kitchen and I could see they panic on her face, yep they had lost our order. She decided to "comp" us on an order of bread, 4 half slices of bread for 4 people, OMG, no apologies! When the food arrived, it was only "ok". Usually when you indicate to the restaurant you are celebrating a special occasion, they comp you on a dessert. Not here, no mention of the Birthday. Publican is very over priced for it's locally grown food, $10 for a small bowl of corn, $29 for 4 slivers, yes slivers of Striped Bass, half a grilled chicken, $27, drinks over priced. Left hungry and disappointed, spent $220!

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/13/2013
    1 check-in

    Okay guys, I'm not here to talk food. I.M.O. the Publican lives up to its food hype. So, I won't beat around the meat, See what I did there?

    Anyway, I came here for a late brunch with sister & co. and had one of my favorite Bloody Marys ever. Not too peppery, just salty enough, with lots of garnishes, and WHAT a side beer? Apparently, the Wisconsin way to make a Bloody Mary is to include a side beer. Meaning, you take a sip of your BM and then a sip of beer. Don't make the rookie mistake of drinking your BM and chugging the beer at the end like I did.

    The wonderful combination of brunch meats, beer, and bloodys created the perfect storm of food comas, which is really the essence of a good Saturday brunch amirite?

  • 3.0 star rating
    7/27/2014
    1 check-in

    The Publican is one of the types of restaurants that had a great concept and ambience.  Service is very attentive!  Perhaps the best part was attentiveness to water and coffee refills with a very friendly staff.  

    Communal seating allows for fun conversation with others at the table.  They won't seat you until your entire group has arrived.  But rest assured, you can stand at another standing table to wait till your group arrives.   Which if you have an elder crowd with you, just make sure you're the last of your group to show up so you can be seated immediately...logistics solved.

    The meat, which is why you're here is spot on.  Particularly their maple syrup braised bacon (pretty much a salty and sweet melt in your mouth pork belly).   The side dishes and garnishes are left to be desired.   If you're a carnivore this is your place.  If you're a foodie looking for a well rounded experience, I'd say it falls short.   Pricing is quite high, even though I went to brunch.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/13/2014 Updated review
    1 check-in

    Almost 4 years later, I am back to update my review.

    I assume my 4-star review in the past was because I wasn't able to fully enjoy myself, as I was in a hurry, however, this time- that was not the case!

    My boyfriend took me back for an early V-day dinner and we maxed out.

    Loving the butcher block, public seating, we were sat at the corner, which was perfect for a date. He had the IPA on tap and I had the Surley Smoked beer to start.  Both were fantastic.  We started with the Frites with egg, chicken liver patte, and oysters.  The chef selection of oysters was a fun way to enjoy many different types and not have to make a decision.  I might also add, this was my first time having the fries with egg - WHY?! I don't know.. I didn't think I would like it, but I'm glad my boyfriend talked me into it- YUM.

    The next course was the beef tongue and brussels sprouts.  Holy moly. Heaven in your mouth.  I wasn't sure how the brussels would be prepared but man, I was so delighted with the small brussel salad that came to the table.  And the beef tongue.. oh the beef tongue.

    Finally, we finished up with what I think was the absolute favorite, that being the blood sausage.  I am so glad that was our last dish of the night b/c it was one of the best things I have ever eaten.

    Dessert was liquified as I enjoyed an old fashion - a fine old fashion if I do say so myself.

    Great - writing this review just made me hungry - see you in 10.

    4.0 star rating
    7/7/2010 Previous review
    I like this place!! I stopped in before a Bulls game with a friend and had some really tasty beer… Read more
  • 2.0 star rating
    11/2/2014

    Has really gone down hill in the last year. Food was way to salty. Flavors where not complex, textures where not we balanced.

    Really expensive for an average meal.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/11/2014
    1 check-in

    Having heard a good amount of this place from my friend, I decided to go to his birthday brunch even though I was not hungry at all (eating a million meals a day does that to you).  Even though I live pretty close to the West Loop, I was still late (like a jerk). The service we received from the waiter was excellent, he was awesome. I ordered a coffee and quickly made my selection completely based off of what the waiter suggested for a 'light' breakfast, and the food came with the other orders incredibly quickly.

    Rock Crab Scramble - due to the speed that this came out, I was naturally a bit skeptical. But all my fears melted away as soon as I took my first bite of the scramble. It was awesome. The crab meat was sweet and flavorful, and the egg complimented the sweetness without overpowering the natural seafood taste of the crab. The bread that accompanied it was a bit hard (and some of the pieces were toasted a bit too long) but were still a good compliment for the light scramble. Although simple, it was exactly what I wanted at the moment.
    I tried a few other things that were passed around at the table, but I don't think I had enough to really want to make a solid assessment about.

    Overall, this meal was very enjoyable. It was one of the slightly pricier brunch places I've had ($18 for the scramble which was a lighter portion). But the quality was very good, and I feel like it was worth it. The service was very good, both in attitude (goes a long way) and in efficiency. I also enjoyed the coffee and probably had at least 3-4 cups.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/10/2015

    Let's just say I didn't eat for quite a while after leaving this place. I had one of THE best brunches that I've had. Chicago, you're the best! The bacon is to die for, I still think about it every day. The bloody marys paired with a beer were amazing! I almost opted out of the beer-silly me, what a great combo. The hash-brown was great, a staple if you get the scramble (in my opinion). Little to say that I already miss this place being back in California...

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

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  • 4.0 star rating
    8/9/2014

    Fantastic food in a great neighborhood. Brunch cocktails were refreshing. Intelligentsia bottomless coffee kicked off my day! Get the maple bacon side, though it could feed four people:)

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/16/2015

    Great decor. You kind of sit in the middle of the room on long tables next to strangers but that kind of adds to the vibe of it. Or you get to sit against the wall in these stable type tables but doors that close you in. The food is ordered family style and was a great way to taste various things on the menu. They definitely give you big portions and the wait staff is so friendly and informative.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/24/2015

    Located off the beaten path of foodie heaven Randolph and Fulton Market area, is this member or a quality restaurant group.  The room is yellow hued incadascent lit with high ceilings, plain decor, heavy wood accents, in fact all wall seating is boothed in wood surrounds.  Tables are communal in the middle.  There is no bar to speak of but a few high tables to stand at with no chairs reside near the look in kitchen to have a drink while you wait for your table and observe the plate assembly.  Service my 2 times was impeccable and well informed, accomodating and friendly.  The place serves high mark food into the late evening so it is our type of place for this reason alone.  We usually begin our leisurely 2 hour dining experiences no earlier than 9:30 which does not work well most places.  Cleverly presented, seasoned and complimented fair is all over he menu and interesting and perfectly rounded to boot.  Plenty of the now popular pickled compliments even pickled cherries. No item disappointed from the porks to the oysters and crudo to the salads, pate and mains, one of which I will be back to try and hope it will be a special again, being the duck.  We were already on our mains when it arrived to our neighbor and wow, looked wonderful and I regretted not knowing about it.  The wine list by the glass or otherwise is not that deep, but interesting enough and they have a good bottle list.  Patrons are all ages despite the late hour, and all of the type you would like to dine with in a communal setting.  We will be back because of the variety on the regular menu and most certain to be fun off menu items.  While the lack of a bar scene or otherwise is on one hand disappointing it is also fine and unnecessary, who knew?  The room is a bit of a downer or more perhaps just not uplifting but I get the bland but warm effect they were going for and it works with the menu concepts.  

    Michelle: Agreed.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/30/2014

    If you like to try every different variety of meat, clam, and beer this is the place for you. I went with my boyfriend for his birthday, and I am a fan. Like other reviewers have said, they were accommodating and were able to provide us with a freestanding table, which we requested when we arrived at 7:30 on a Saturday night.

    The ambience is nice, although it is not something I would qualify as romantic or intimate, but it certainly gets you in the mood to eat some meat. Our server was knowledgeable and helpful, although seemed quite busy all the time. I would say my favorite dish was the half charcuterie plate which was a good size for two people and a great way to try all the different and unique meats Publican has to offer. My runner-up favorite dish was the half chicken and summer sausage, although the activity of trying different clams is something you don't get at every restaurant and I would recommend.

    We ordered five dishes, and both of us were stuffed to the brim, so I would have maybe ordered one less (I could have done without the boudin noir).

    Will I be back? I'm not sure, but I know this would be a fun outing for a group of adventuresome carnivores. Definitely worth a try.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/25/2014

    My fiance and I came in after a really tough day.  Although the atmosphere can be quite loud, we were both able to relax by the end of the night because THAT'S HOW GOOD THE FOOD IS HERE!!!  

    Wow.  I'm still lusting after their waffle dessert and all the other goodies we tried (fries with fried egg, tomato fry bread, and their charcuterie plate).  

    Note - I'm not sure how busy this place usually gets, but considering we went in *with reservations* on a Tuesday night at 8:30 and the place was packed, I would highly suggest doing the same.

    Service was also prompt and attentive. Well done~!!

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/29/2015

    Great atmosphere with small sharing plates, draft Belgian beer, oysters, and meats -the ham sampler is something I get every time I am there.

    Recommend getting the ham even if nobody else in your party wants to share it.  They will change their mind.  
    Also get something you haven't had before, I haven't had a bad plate here.

  • 2.0 star rating
    6/15/2015

    The oysters were the size of a dime! Ridiculous. Also, one expects to pay a lot for drinks in the city, but the drinks were too much. Very loud inside. The food was delicious. Good place to share.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/28/2014
    1 check-in

    Came here for brunch today with my gf and my cousin and her husband. We got there right when it opened at 10 and there was a bit of a line but we out our names in beforehand and we were seated immediately outside. The waiter was very friendly and offered good suggestions as well. I got the corned beef hash, my gf got the chorizo with scrambled eggs on a corn pancake thing, my cousin got the pork belly carbonara which she said was delicious and her husband got the corned beef hash as well. The hash was soo good. It came with two fried eggs on top over easy so the yolks were runny and mixed well with the hash. Definitely looking forward to coming back here again to try everything else on the menu

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/10/2013

    Very unique menu with small plates that are great to share.  Definitely lots of Asian influence in their cuisine.  We stopped in for brunch and were delighted with the outcome.  

    Chicken Liver Pate Spread:  A
    Great flavors here, generous servings with perfectly toasted bread.  I liked that they used fish sauce in the patee to drive out some of the umami flavor.  Definitely a great starter.

    Housemade Bacon:  A+
    Thick, extra fat.  Almost like a fried pork belly with smokehouse flavor.  Unique and awesome take on a very traditional breakfast dish.

    Shrimp, Kimchi, Ricecake Stew:  A+
    Great flavor.  Ricecake was cooked perfectly; was still tender and not soft from being overdone.  The three lobster shrimp were huge and incredibly fresh.  Seafood and kimchi really flavored the broth; we were savoring it until the last drop.  Also came with a perfectly poached egg.  Very much a comfort food.

    Pork Schniztel with Over Easy Egg:  C
    Pork was tough although well fried.  Egg was the redeeming factor of the dish.  Greens were soaked in vinagrette and added great flavor but overall the main star of the dish, the pork, was lacking in both flavor and texture.

    Service:  A
    Our server was attentive and not overbearing.

    Overall, would highly recommend this place.  They are not afraid to push the envelope with innovative dishes.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/10/2013
    1 check-in

    Loved this place! My boyfriend and I made reservations for dinner and were promptly seated once we checked in with the hostess. The layout of the restaurant is really cool, with communal seating as well as tables.

    Right off the bat we noticed the menu was pretty big, but our waiter was so helpful in answering any questions regarding food and beer selections. We decided on the mussels to start with, and they were absolutely delicious. I've had mussels ($20) so many different ways, but these were some of the best I've ever had. For our entree, we split the Porchetta ($24) and fried green tomatoes. The porchetta so rich and really flavorful. We were glad we split it. The fried green tomatoes added a nice touch to the meal, with the tartness from the tomatoes and mint.

    Also, check out the bathroom while you're there! I've never seen anything like it!

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/27/2014
    1 check-in

    This place was created to indulge every man's caveman-like eating needs I think. If you're a fan of perfectly salted frites with an egg on top, oysters, meats and especially perfectly cooked, melt-in-your-mouth, pork belly, a wide selection of imported beer, waffles for dessert, communal table seating in a dim dutch-feeling all wood setting, then this is the place for you by far! Love the high energy of the place and the always casually dressed and friendly wait staff.

    I will say I LOVE THEIR BRUNCH almost more than their dinner if not for the pork-belly. This is a great place to start someone on their 'foodie adventure'. A friend of ours from LA had brunch with us here and was flat out shock and awed.

    The only thing I've ordered from here that I didn't like was the chicken liver pate. It was just weird.

    Final Verdict:

    This isn't my favorite restaurant ever but I certainly do enjoy it a lot! Great for groups and and overall good-time eating experience!

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/26/2015

    Unfortunately the dinner fell flat for me. It was good, but not fantastic, award winning, reservations weeks in advance good. The atmosphere was very masculine and not very comfortable and the drinks catered more towards men as well with beer and hard liquor as the specialties. The best part of the meal for me was the oysters and the bread if that is saying anything. The Dover Sole was good and I'm sorry to say the ribs and the pork rinds were not my favorite. I had a good time with friends, but won't be going back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/12/2014
    1 check-in

    Great place, awesome beer and wine menu and unique menu choices. You can tell the chefs take pride in what they do. We got the cucumbers and fried sweet potatoes, dungenus crab meal and the duck- everything was ourstanding. The duck was buttery, savory and so flavorful, with sweet potatoes and kale and candied walnuts - def recommend. We also had dessert- can't remember what it was called but it had lemon ice cream sorbet with sunflower seeds, little pastry balls and apples and honey. DEFINITELY glad we came here. Service was friendly and exceptional also.

  • 2.0 star rating
    3/28/2013

    Cool place and interesting setup, but overall this place isn't amazing.

    1. Octopus - my favorite dish I had.
    2. Eggs over fries. - Really? My friend loves it, but I think I can make a better one. Cilantro, fried shallots, and hot sauce please! and the yolk was too well done.
    3. Pork something - This was good, but it wasn't memorable.
    4. Veggies, ricotta goat cheese, on top of toast - The bread is too hard! Well all their toast was too hard. This is was interesting mix too. It's mild. Don't be scared to eat it even though it seems far fetch.
    5. Sorbet - Nothing special, but gives you the kick of sweet and tangy after all that food.
    5. Chicken liver pate - Tasty!

    We also get a server who looked like a COMPLETE douche bag in his sunglasses and his nose up high walking around the restaurant. He wasn't mean to us or anything.

  • 3.0 star rating
    7/2/2013

    I enjoyed my brunch at Publican all around, but in general it wouldn't be a place that I would want to repeat frequently.

    It's a lot to take in when you first walk in: The booths all along the exterior are enclosed with stable-like doors; the tables in the interior are long and communal; and the central area of the restaurant is dedicated to standing bar-like tables. My party of nine was seated at a long, communal table, which made it difficult to speak to the people at each end - not just because they were far away but also because I was too busy trying to eavesdrop on the conversation of the strangers next to me.

    I was a little late, so I'm not sure how the initial contact with the waitress was, but she was not friendly during the time I was at the table. My friend asked for a recommendation for a side and the waitress looked at her like, "Seriously? Are you incapable of choosing your own food?" and said something along those same lines but slightly friendlier. Maybe it was just a bad day.

    I do love that their menu is totally innovative and changes frequently, and I was very excited about my summer squash fruttata (I think - it was a weird last word, definitely wasn't frittata). It ended up being a large piece of sourdough bread with squash, a scrambled egg, and lightly sautéed spinach. I loved the concept, but it was just incredibly salty and left me with a horrible stomach ache.

    The price was ok, about $23 with tip for a bottomless cup of coffee and a reasonably-portioned brunch plate. But if I'm paying that much, I'd also like to make sure that the level of service matches the creativity of the dishes, and that the flavor of the dishes isn't reliant upon the salt used. All in all, I'd try it once to say you'd been there, but move on once the box is checked.

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/24/2015

    Came here for brunch a week ago - really wanted to like the place. Beautiful restaurant, fantastic server, and the food all looked great. Unfortunately it didn't really live up to the hype - every bite basically tasted like I was eating pure salt. Don't get me wrong, I would probably have sex with many salt-cured meats like Beef Jerky, but even this was too much for me. After the ultra-heavy brunch, I basically waddled home and curled up in the fetal position the rest of the afternoon.

  • 2.0 star rating
    8/17/2014

    Went to Publican for the first time today for Brunch. Overall if I had to give it a letter grade: C.

    In summary, I think Publican is overhyped. I got a meat pancake. It was a very typical pancake except it was full of VERY large chunks of varying meats. I'd expect some, unusual yet delicious contrasting flavours, but I was totally let down. Finding 2-inch  hot dog ends made it just way too weird.

    My friend got the $9 waffles. Nothing special at all. In fact, the butter was the noteable feature of the plate. The butter?! They gave her two, large waffles with a tiny 1oz. squirt of syrup and that's it. We should have gone to IHOP.

    The bloody mary I got was the most unexceptional I've ever had. I can remember hotel bloodies that are far better, with more junk in it, and had spicier mix. Even the beer back stout was... meh. The beer came in a 5oz. glass and was near tasteless. Hide a Guinness in your girl's purse if you want a stout back.

    Brunch was a total let-down. Unexceptional, overhyped (they wanted a reservation even though the place was half-full... duh), and overpriced. There are dive bars in Chicago that have much better brunches with unlimited mimosa/bloody marys. I'd check out Aberdeen Tap, just around the corner. FAAAAAAR better food (it's a bar!!!), better prices, and amazingly friendly staff. Their bloody mary's are killer.

    I liked the decor and the personnel were friendly, but I'll be passing this place by in the future.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/30/2014

    Great service and food.

    We had a reservation for 8pm and by 830 our table was still not ready. Without making a comment, the manager brought my wife and I a flight of beers in the waiting area, plus sent over a starter for us to share when we finally got a table.

    The service was great and the food was very good. The waitress suggested the roasted chicken and it was excellent. It is worth a trip back next time we are in Chicago.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/15/2015

    I went here on Friday night for dinner and had a great experience. We ordered the shrimp ceviche, roasted chicken, and the sausage, and all were great! The ceviche was delicious, the chicken was juicy, and the sausage was complex and awesome. We ordered two vegetable dishes which were good but so unhealthy that it makes you wonder why bother? The cauliflower was deep fried and the cheese to Brussels ratio was a little off (there was more cheese than veggie). They also have a fantastic beer list and a great atmosphere.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/18/2013

    Being an avid yelper, it's hard to make plans to go to a new restaurant without reading a variety of reviews and looking at pictures from Yelp. It was kind of nice not doing that with The Publican.

    I was pleasantly surprised by the thick cut of bacon, which was expensive, but delicious. I definitely recommend the egg and fries dish for brunch, it seemed to be the most reasonably priced item on the menu for what you get. I'm way too picky of an eater to explore most of the menu, but it still had a nice atmosphere.

    Their market across the street has some great food to buy, as well!

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/24/2013

    This is definitely a must-go-to in Chicago! I ordered the duck heart, crawfish, oysters, and cauliflower and was absolutely satisfied.

    The crawfish, oysters, and especially the duck heart, were my favorite. They have a great alcohol selection and the waiters were awesome.

    Definitely worth every penny, and a revisit!

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/13/2013
    1 check-in

    On a trip to Chicago, tried the Publican based on its good Yelp! reviews, and wasn't disappointed. In fact, that whole area is chock-a-block full of awesome eateries despite looking like an industrialized meat-packing district.

    Inside is filled with  a horseshoe of clean, modernist wooden community tables flanked by booths with actual doors if you wish for a bit more intimate setting. The whole affair is a pleasantly weird fusion of rustic and contemporary style. The waiter was great in explaining the concept, as well as providing both advice on portion size and timing. Bottom line: everything is designed for family-style sharing, and dishes come out when they are ready, with some being relatively quick and some, he warned us, up to 45min. if the meat demands it to be perfect. The idea is you eat together from the dishes as they arrive, with no one "waiting for their meal". A dinner there should be budget for 2 hours. The public table also creates a nice sense of community with your fellow diners, as you do get to interact with them a bit.

    The food itself: universally excellent. The menu changes frequently, I'm told, based on what's fresh and available. In fact, we came a few minutes before they were seating for dinner and I was told they hadn't printed today's menu yet -- an indication of how variable it is.

    But for what it's worth: we had Rillettes (a shredded pork-like pot with compote) that tasted great; the bread was great and nicely charred at the edges.

    Opah Bacon, which didn't involve pork, its just the fish prepared in a way reminiscent of bacon: a mainly raw, crudo-style strip with light smoking and creme fraiche. I like crudo and sushi, and this was a unique take on it.

    Burdock Roots with a glaze. They were very firm and a bit sweet but not too much. Better than a dish with the words "roots" in it should be.

    Duck Hearts. I'm not a fan of internal meats, but the description of the preparation sounded good so the wife and I decided to give it a try. It tasted great, although it was rare as intended, and I wasn't a big fan of the texture. However, I consider this a personal preference as the dish was excellent prepared and the flavors were great.

    I heartily recommend this.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/2/2014

    Vegetarian platter and carrots were phenomenal. Lots of complexity including pesto and flavor.  Well seasoned.  Thanks.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/19/2014

    The publican is amazing, it should be top 3 restaurant I have ever had in Chicago. We ordered country ribs, bass, and spicy pork rinds. I really like the dishes and will come back soon!

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/1/2014

    The Publican came recommended from my sister who used to live in Chicago. I was looking for delicious brunch options and The Publican REALLY delivered! Amazing food, great service, tasty drinks, fun atmosphere! I think everyone should go, and make sure you get a side of maple bacon!!! We made reservations on Open Table a few days in advance and were seated immediately - I recommend doing this.

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/19/2014
    1 check-in

    Came here on a sunny afternoon and scored some patio seats. While sitting on the patio was nice, it was kind of narrow, and the waiter and people passing by kept bumping into the table and menus on the table, making it feel too squished.

    Ordered the ballisto something, which was pork and duck confit--- the pork was delicious, but the duck confit part was just ok. The marinated broccolini was really good as well--- but just a heads up that this dish is cold. Not an issue for me though. My brother ordered the country ribs, which were dry-- I definitely was not impressed by that.

    What drops a star for this rating is just my overall experience and feel of the place. For the prices that I'm paying, I want exceptional service. If I'm paying $35 for the main dish AND have to pay $12 for some veggies, then I want some damn good service... which I didn't feel like I got. First of all, I get that some restaurants don't seat incomplete parties, but if 2 people of a party of 3 are ready to eat and order, why can't the third just show up and order when he arrives? It's not like we would have waited just for him to arrive to order. My brother drinks like a fish and eats like a cow or whatever you would compare that too, so we would have ordered plenty. Arrived at 5 PM when they open, and there was no wait, and by the time my friend arrived at 6 PM, there was a 2 hour wait for a 4-top. I definitely was not in the mood for dessert or a drink after that. Plus if I just mentioned that two of my friends were coming and we want to know how long the wait for a 4 top is, and you say, two hours, then I definitely don't want dessert.  Also, if we're paying $50 a piece for our meal, I think the server should be wearing something more than a sweatshirt.

    Overall, the attitude of the hostesses is pretentious, the waiter was just blah and not so helpful (although I know I can be difficult when ordering--- but still I had much better service at a freaking bar earlier that day) and there just is something about this restaurant that doesn't click for me. Pass.

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/20/2014

    Went here for brunch on Sunday while in Chicago for the day - as it was rated best brunch in the US by this list:

    tablespoon.com/themunchi…

    I thought it was OK. They were pretty flexible in terms of our reservation - we had a group of 8 and the timing went back and forth a couple of times. The seating is cafeteria style which is helpful.

    I ordered the lobster scramble which I found to be a little bit bland. It didn't have much flavour and it just came with a side of toast. So to be honest, it tasted pretty much like eggs and toast, which is unfortunate considering the $19 price tag.

    My sister had the steak on toast which was really good! The horseradish sauce added a nice kick. I wish I'd gotten that instead. My husband got the baked sourdough pancake which was also nice, a kind of twist on chicken and waffles.

    We got the pretzel on the side which came cold so wasn't very nice to dip in the shredded cheddar that came on the side of it.

    To drink, I had the "Publican" mimosa (which is a beer-mosa) and a mimosa. I enjoyed those. Some of my friends had coffee, the cream at the table had gone bad, ew!

    Service was just OK.

    To be honest, I'm not sure how it's rated the best brunch spot in the U.S., I thought it was just OK.

  • 1.0 star rating
    3/8/2015

    Greed! Wanted to seat our party of 3 with a column in between to spare a seat and refused to seat us in a booth unless we leave early because other parties of 4 had reservation. Even when I told the front desk that it was my wife's birthday and that uses to be a regular.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/20/2015

    Amazing cocktails. Incredible variety and food. Solid ambiance. Expected price (you get what you pay for). Very fresh ingredients and very knowledgeable staff. We enjoyed our visit and will come back next time we're in Chicago.

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/27/2015

    The Publican Bacon deserves 5 stars, but the pork snitzel was bland so I swapped with my husband who ordered the Duck Confit egg dish. That was delicious. All this said, it is so loud and the set up, although communal seems fun, makes it uncomfortable and a bit too much so I wouldn't come back. Again, quality of food and such is about a 4, but they need to do something about the noise levels.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/19/2015

    MMMM publican.  the food is fantastic, the service is solid, oh but oh that seating in there.  They have family style seating and it is tight and cramped.  Also, don't expect to really have a private conversation, it's that close.  I would say that that is why this place doesn't get the 5 star rating in my book, because everything else was great.  The food, nom nom nom, the ambience of the place and decor was also nice.  Maybe best to go here in a group.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/3/2014

    Amazing brunch. The girlfriend and I sat wedged in between two bros on a man date (later replaced by two med students on a let's discuss residency-matching-date) and a huge group of Chinese tourists and still had a fun brunch date.

    I got the brunch box cocktail to start which featured grape juice, bitters, and "beer." It definitely tasted like wheat beer but no idea what brew they were working with- regardless it came out great and though I was not hungover, I could see how it would've done the trick if I was.

    My girlfriend opted for the red wine-poached eggs which looked amazing. She said the flavor was very unique!

    We also split the fries which were some serious Belgian-style frites in a very, very, large paper cone- they will fill you up!

    I got the feijoada and all I can say is if you order this come hungry, or hungover possibly. This dish includes rice and a whole sausage, a slab of pork belly and a slab of beef tongue. There's some salsa verde in there somewhere to cut all of the richness. But, there's also a poached egg on top to add more richness. It was sinfully delicious but I also wasn't sure I could stand up after finishing it. If you want to go to meat and egg heaven, order this, but come ready!

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/4/2013

    I came here for brunch, since I had heard good things about it. I was with 3 other people and we got there at 12.30, they told us it was an hour and a half wait. We waited till about 1.30 when we were seated, that is my only grouse. I have heard they take reservations for brunch, I don't know if they have stopped doing this, and if they have, why.

    They let us wait at the bar- there are little round tables in the middle of the floor and the tables that serve as 'bars'. We had the publican mimosas and I have to admit they were pretty strong. I didn't realize it till I started on my coffee and I was like.. dayum

    We had the goat cheese with ricotta dipped bread, the waffles and bacon and the red wine poached eggs. All of them were really well made, with attention paid to flavours. I have to say the ricotta bread was REALLY small, think of it as a side and not as a main. All the other dishes were filling. We also got spicy pork rinds for the table but the opinions were spilt on that one, I LOVED them, but 2 people at the table didn't. They are (very slightly) chewier cheese puffs and are super delish.

    The place itself is nice and bright, lots of wood and the servers are pretty attentive and helpful.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/21/2014

    We loved the fun atmosphere of the Publican. The Country Ribs were impeccable as were the potatoes. We had Edward's Country Ham which was reminiscent of Spain and so delicious!
    We did not have a reservation but only had to wait at the standing bar about 15 minutes for a private table. The service was great- informative and attentive. We can't wait to come back!

  • 2.0 star rating
    9/20/2014

    Simple meals done with mediocre flare, is the best way to describe this place.

    To begin with I was put off by being seated at a communal table (had reservations), even though the rest of the restaurant's individual tables were largely open. I was not given the choice of table type, so I figured the individual tables were reserved for parties of three or more but later found out that was not the case!

    Ordered a hot tea for my brunch, whatever they had that was similar to English breakfast and instead got their private selection caffeine version of tea...equated to no flavor, no color, and I've yet to get a buzz from the extra caffeine.

    I ordered the pimento cheese toast with country ham and eggs. Got a a piece of toast with wafer thin slices of ham and some ordinary pimento cheese.  The pickles and pimentos saved it...very zesty! My girlfriend had poached eggs with toast and a side of bacon.  Her toast was burnt to a crisp, but she like the eggs and the bacon (1 inch thick piece) was tasty but more like under seasoned roasted pork belly with maple syrup added.

    Looking down the communal table I didn't see anything that looked particularly amazing or appetizing. Just boring waffles, eggs, and scrambles.

    Overall, let the hipsters keep this overrated place to themselves and spend your hard earned money elsewhere.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/26/2014
    1 check-in

    We ordered a mixed plate of meats and the mussels. The meat plate was perfect! A great variety with decent portions. The mussels were ok. Large drink menu. Our waitress was seriously the best! So sweet, even helped us get reservations at The Aviary.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/27/2015

    A MUST, if you're in Chicago. The red wine poached eggs were phenomenal, and so was the Publican bacon. Bloody mary was perfect. Can't wait to go back!

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/26/2013

    My first visit to The Publican was pretty much what I expected: great service, cool ambience, and a lot of meat. This was a great restaurant to visit during the holidays, since the rustic vibe makes for such a cozy and festive feeling. Their huge Christmas tree also added to the festive factor...
    Their drink list is huge, and my personal favorite (hard ciders) had their own section! Here is what we tried:

    Excellent:

    -bouchet mussels (be sure to ask for bread)
    -boudin brase (i think this is what it was called. the menu changes often, but i would recommend whatever boudin dish they are serving that day. the sausage was fantastic)
    -porchetta (today's featured root veggies and a horseradish creme sauce)
    -scallops

    Very Good:

    -farm chicken
    -cauliflower (today's was au gratin)

    We also tried the Kyle's After Pork digestif and a meringue / sorbet dessert that was light and wonderful.

    I definitely recommend trying The Publican (with a reservation!).

  • 2.0 star rating
    5/5/2014

    I came here for my birthday dinner thinking I would love it, but  sadly left disappointed.  For the price, I think it's overrated.  Maybe it's from all the hype, or maybe I ordered the wrong things, but I'm not sure I'd come back considering the overabundance of great restaurants in Chicago.

    I feel bad saying this because I can tell the chefs use quality ingredients and put a lot of thought into their dishes, but I wasn't blown away by anything I ordered. Out of everything we ordered, the only dish I would order again would be the Smoked pork shank.

    Also, communal seating? Blech.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/31/2014

    Really enjoyed my visit to the Publican. Went with a picky crowd and still had a great meal. The drinks menu was exceptional- fantastic beer selections on top of the wine options. Started with some oysters and cured meats. All were fantastic. For the bigger courses we had the Swordfish meatballs (amazing), the suckling pig (well done, but very little meat involved) and the duck (excellent). The best dish by far was the swordfish meatballs. Definitely try that if you can. It's exceptional.

    We were seated at the community table, which really didn't bring out the community. Everyone  on either side of us kept to themselves. But all good, still a great meal. Would return to hit the other menu items if I didn't live so far away.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 5.0 star rating
    12/11/2014

    This place is definitely worth a visit. The communal tables kinda threw me off at first but when I took a look at the menu, I knew this place was special. I came here for a friend's birthday and we totally indulged! I mean, we ordered the chef's selection of oysters (12 total), shaved brussels sprouts, boudin blanc, pickles of the day, one of the cheese selections and three of their desserts. The drinks were fantastic and they even made me a mocktail which was delicious! Impeccable service too!

  • 2.0 star rating
    4/15/2014

    We arrived at 3:30pm right as they opened for a few drinks and a bite to eat and we were treated like a nuisance.  Seemed as though they need to prepare the restaurant before opening or push back their open time a little bit.

    The prices are high but things would have been justified if there was any resemblance of service at this joint.  The beer menu is nice but wayyyyy overpriced.  One good takeaway would be the pork rinds.  As a visitor to this great city I would have expected more.

  • 2.0 star rating
    5/19/2015

    This is really a 2.65 because a 2 seems too low...

    On our first visit sat outside patio gorgeous day,  no wait wasn't too busy inside the patio was packed. Literally. We shared the Johnny cake & the Skate sandwich. When I first saw the skate sandwich I was immediately saying I wished I'd ordered that! It "looked" like the perfect sandwich.. oddly,  we immediately noticed that the bread became WAY too soggy WAY too soon! You couldn't even hold it and when the bread is that mushy,  well it's not good..  It just disintegrated. I did LOVE that salad though..Personally, I thought Johnny Cake overall was pretty "meh" as well. I liked the tasty bits of ham and I liked the idea of ramps, radishes, s. cream all together.. but  I think the ramps were just too bitter and even the syrup did not save this for me. My S.O thought it was OK.  though.
    Service: He was sadly in order. taker. mode. friendly enough I guess but he didn't "add" anything to our experience.  we had to pull the information out of him.
    Made for a overall lackluster experience. Of course we see the potential in the food. I think the ingredients are well sourced ( always a good sign. ) However, this being our very first time here..  we were let down.  We said we'd still  like to see what the dinner experience offers but it will be awhile before we make that reservation I think.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/27/2014
    1 check-in

    Good place!

    Really enjoyed my meal. The sausage we got was fantastic - so delicious. We got the ham platter, and that was pretty incredible as well. The farm chicken was pretty good, but mostly enjoyed sopping up the drippings with my fries. We definitely had some sides, but I don't quite remember them - but i remember being happy with them.

    The cocktails are good too.

    One down side - for the price point, I wasn't digging the community tables - would have been able to talk to friends further down as well.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/17/2013
    1 check-in

    I brought my husband here for a birthday surprise dinner on a Sunday night. It was 80% packed at 8 p.m. with a closing time at 10:00 p.m.

    Food: We shared a half chicken. I don't remember the last time I tasted a chicken so tender with a sweet marinade. We ate half of it even though it was a half order. This is definitely a meat lovers place. They also have oysters on the list. People have raved to us about their meats so that's why we went. Save your appetite for this restaurant, and possibly try out their deli subs across the street and come here for brunch. I know I will sometime.

    Service: At the end, they gave my husband an eclair with a candle as they must have noted that I booked the reservation mentioning his birthday. As far as service, it was all right. Our waitress seemed more attentive on talking to her co-workers and she had to work many tables but she was pleasant. Her menu knowledge was okay, but I also understand that the menu does change everyday.

    Overall: I'm glad we tried it. Just another great restaurant on Randolph street.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/25/2012

    Fine. I give up. Consider the white flag waived.

    It's been long enough and I'm finally ready to jump on the Publican bandwagon.

    Love it? I don't know about that, but I can see the potential to. Everyone hears about the communal tables and how loud it is, but what you don't hear about are the ignorant people who think it's totally cool to bring their hyperactive 2-year old out to sit at a communal table and bang silverware on a plate for 30 minutes or how it's so loud that your voice doesn't carry over the shrill ding of silver being pounded over and over and over again against ceramic by a toddler so all you can do is glare two communities down to the f*ckers who brought their demon spawn to dine at Publican at 10pm on a Thursday evening. Mentally, I harpooned that child from across the table while ravens pecked out their parents' eyes. The punishment fits the crime.

    Beyond all that, Publican outdid themselves on almost every level with my threesome of ladies. Among my favorite points was that of price- for the three of us with mulitple courses, drinks, dessert and dessert drinks, we each only forked out $33, including a 25% tip and we all left buckling under our belt buckles. Amen to a girls night so affordable we were able to head out for late night drinks afterwards.

    As far as foodies, the beet salad was A-OK, certainly not the best around town- not even top 10, but it was as I said, A to the O to the K. The pickles and pickled things were also just fine, not the best I've had, but done well none the less. The Summer squash salad and cauldron of fish stew were both fantastic and generously portioned. The salad was delightful and refreshing the stew was a cornucopia of the sea, sans filler ingredients.

    Since we'd filled up on craft beer before and during dinner, we decided to settle our dessert, a rich and delectable espresso cake, with some hot coffee and tea. Normally I'm all about the coffee, but when I saw Samurai Chai, I knew I had to put my kung fu hustle down on those herbs. In the end, I think the tea I got was un-steepable because it poured clear even after 10+ minutes of waiting. So, not the Bruce Lee of tea, but still a fine ending to a delightful meal.

    The icing on the cake, the staff. All beautiful. Every last one. I swear, even the bus boys are models. Go there, eat up, harpoon screaming children, enjoy the views and fill up on some pretty exquisitely done food.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/16/2013
    1 check-in

    On our recent trip to Chicago, our designated restaurant picker chose this place.

    Great freaking choice.

    We all ordered different items on the brunch menu, and all 10 of us were very happy with our choices. The food was phenomenal, the service was good, and our drinks were above average. One of my friends said their Bloody Mary was one of the best they've had.

    We spent several hours here drinking, eating, talking.. enjoying the fat pig paintings... discussing how the restroom area reminded us of Hogwarts... and we all left vowing to come back again when we could.

    It was by far the best meal we had in Chicago and I wish there was one in LA!

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/8/2014
    2 check-ins

    This place made me believe in God again.  If you don't give the experience of a life time I just had 5 stars start therapy because u r an ass.  Pork grinds, soft shell clams, farm chicken, yellowtail, porchetta and waffle.  Service was perfect.  The Atmosphere was excellent.  The yellowtail And waffle stand out in my heart.  Mastery is displayed at this establishment.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/3/2014
    1 check-in

    Great food and drinks! Accommodating to lactose dietary restrictions. Now can they just open another one on the North-side.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/3/2015

    My Roommate and I had brunch at the Publican this past weekend and have to say it was one of the best meals we've had this year.  We ordered the Pretzel,  Sourdough Pancake and Breakfast Feijoada.  The Sourdough Pancake was dotted with delicious sausage and was perfectly fluffy. The pretzel and Feijoada were also great.  Handsdown the best  breakfast sausage we've ever had.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/16/2014

    I'll give this place 4.5 stars. Came here on a Tuesday for dinner with the lady friend. I made reservations through opentable, and was promptly seated. Just a heads up that this place has community seating, but I requested that we sit on the end.

    The menu changes daily, so keep in mind that some of the stuff I ordered will not always be there. We ordered the potted rilletes, half order of serano, half charcuterie plate, duck breast, clam fry, frites, and bbq carrots. Everything was very good, but our least favorite was the clam fry. The fries and carrots were surprisingly top notch. I would recommend getting some sort of cured meat and the charcuterie also allows you to try different types.

    It actually took forever for all of our food to get out, which is why I would dock it a star, but the waiter offered us a complimentary plate which was very kind of him.

    I want to come back for brunch to get the bacon, as this place clearly knows how to cook some pork. I highly recommend and I will come back again.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/5/2014
    1 check-in

    We came here for dinner early on a Saturday night before attending a 7:30 show.  I made the reservation online and there was no problem, then even called to confirm.  When they called I explained that we needed to by out by 7 to make the show.  They made a note of it and made sure that our server kept us on track to be out in time.

    It was one of the first warmish evenings of the spring so we opted to sit outside instead of inside at the community table.  Sitting outside was nice but this is a very industrial area so don't expect any of those amazing views that Chicago can sometimes offer.  

    Our server explained that they have small plate servings meant for sharing.  He made a few suggestions and since we were on a tight schedule we ordered promptly.  We chose the beets, the grilled yellow tail,  the lamb and the fried cauliflower.  The meal is served in the order that the kitchen chooses for you.  We began with the beets., served with buratta and pistachios.  This dish was melt in your mouth good.  I could have eaten this whole dish myself and left my husband to fend for himself.  Then we had the yellow tail.  This was cooked to perfection and perfectly balanced with everything on the plate, leading to perfect bite after perfect bite.  Then came the lamb.  This was our only disappointment.  It was stringy and didn't have the levels of flavor that we would have expected.  Finally the fried cauliflower arrived and it too was outstanding.  Perfectly crisped, served unexpectedly with honey and hot peppers.  Yum Yum Yum!  Decadent but delish!

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/20/2015

    Very very good food. If you're not familiar with farm to table dining you should definitely try this place. Great beer & wine pairing options with your meals. Seating is unique if you're only a 2-top you will likely be seated right next to another couple as it's family style seating as well so have some cocktails and make some new friends. A little pricey but if you like to treat yourself to something new & not have to worry about the food quality this is a place for you. Don't hesitate.. Just go!

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/26/2012

    Go to Publican.  

    Food, no I'll start with the bathroom:
    When my friend told me that the bathroom was like Hogwart's bathroom, I left the table like Severus Snape wanted to profess his undying love to me.  No, make that Alan Rickman.  Twenty years ago.  Let's just drop that.  Bathroom.  The sink is like a simplified version of the second floor girl's bathroom in Hogwarts.  I realized that the bathroom was a thing when the three guys sitting next to me checked it out for themselves, in succession.  "Hey dude, check out the bathroom."  "Wow, that's awesome!" and on and on.  It was as if they were giving out free toasters to anyone who entered bathroom zone.

    Ordering:
    Look over the menu and get your ducks all in a row before ordering.  Don't fear the oysters.  Even if they aren't in season in your part of the country doesn't mean they aren't in other parts of the US and Canada.  It felt like I was doing something illegal and decadent ordering oysters this early in the Gulf's season, like wearing some fabulous Byzantine necklace I'd lifted during a cat burglary-like heist from a world-renowned museum.

    The savory:
    I ordered two oysters: Bras D'Or and Beau Soliel.  Both probably won't be there when you venture to Publican, but if they are, go with the "Sweet and Succulent" Bras D'Or.  Our two entrees were the Steamed Char with Kale and Egg and the Scallops with Celery Root and Pickled Beets.  Both were excellent.  Not over the top filling, so if you're sharing either with more than two people, you may want to double your order.  Well, unless you just want bites of everything.  I liked both, but if I had to choose, I'd go with the fish.  The Scallop dish lacked a certain cohesian.  The pickled beets cut through the scallops like sunlight through the blinds at 6 AM when you have to get up at 6:05 AM.  If you're ordering dessert, this is a pleasantly comfortable meal; we were just before full.  If you're not, get a vegetable.  Or perhaps order some bread.

    The sweet:
    One of us ordered the Waffle with Cherry Jam and Honey Butter, whipped, the other ordered the Chocolate Bourbon Tart.  Understandably the Tart won, but really only by a narrow margin.  How can you compete with Chocolate Mousse, Honeycomb, Toasted Meringue, and Pretzel Custard.  There were other "garnishes," but those are what won me over.  The waffle was perfect, but just not Pretzel Custard perfect.  It was slightly crispy on the outside and just right soft on the inside.  Simple, but elegant.

    The setting:
    Foodyvilleland, Chicago is in the middle of a warehouse district.  It looks scary, especially if the entire block is pitch black and you know you just walked up stairs and can't see the steps back down or all of the marauder hiding spaces.  Definitely don't go by yourself at night, or if you do, take a cab.  There are eighty-four globe chandeliers hanging in perfect symmetry from the ceiling and pictures of giant pigs on the walls (take THAT Hogwarts).  If there are just two of you, try to get a corner.  The tables are long and wrap around the room.  You'll be sitting next to strangers; they may touch you with their elbows, repeatedly.  Try not to stab them with your fork as you'll want to finish your meal completely before getting thrown out.

    The service:
    Just watch out for the guys refilling your water glasses.  They're zippy and are liable to konk you in the head with their elbows or a plate.  Come on guys, it's not that serious.

    List of items Gretchen did not order and may not be there the next time she goes, making Gretchen a bit sad:
    *Boudin Blanc
    *Fish Stew
    *Turnips and Sunchokes with Orange, Pecans, and Dates
    *Beets with Farro Tabouleh
    *The entire Saturday brunch menu (and an iron stomach), including specifically the Ricotta and Pumpkin Cake and the Smoked Arctic Char on a Bagel with Poached Eggs
    *The entire Sunday brunch menu, spcifically the Wine-Poached Eggs or the Lox, Kohlrabi, and Beets on a Bagel

    Oh, you're still here?  Just pretend we were fading to black during that last bit.  Not the trick, STILL here?  How about this?  "[end scene]"

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/24/2015

    Excellent.   Great skate sandwich plate. Very good service.  No wait for brunch! Definitely recommend.

  • 3.0 star rating
    6/18/2014
    1 check-in

    The food at The Publican is truly amazing. Everything we tried was unique and delicious. The Oven Baked Sourdough Pancakes was good, the breakfast sausage was amazing but the bacon wrapped chicken was dry. The Maple braised Publican bacon is truly out of this world. The Lobster Scramble was delicious. Finally, the best Blood Sausage Hash I have ever had.    

    All this great food was ruined by the most awful service you can have. Our waiter Antonio had quiet an attitude walking like a diva on an opening night and making impertinent and arrogant remarks.

    The atmosphere is below average, they have communal tables or if you are lucky and you have at least 4 people in your party you can ask for a booth. Otherwise, you sit outside and you get flies and dust all over your food and drinks.

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/3/2014

    Bustling and different.  We went for brunch on a Sunday afternoon.  The place was packed and the noise level reflected the crowd of hip foodies.  I have to imagine that the restaurant's street cred comes more from it's dinner than brunch.  Brunch options were narrowly focused, unbalanced, salty and inmho quite pricey.  Everyone in my group of four thought it was an interesting experience to have had.  But at the price point, the amount of monochromatic, salty food brought to our table was like: "here ya go, thanks."

    The decor is hip as are the staff.  I'm sure there's a reason they have all those accolades.  I just didn't quite get "the concept"  which could be my fault for not being cool enough.

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/25/2013

    Came here for the first time on a thursday evening around 7:30.  We didn't have reservations but were easily seated without a wait.  We ordered the full size charcuterie, the chickory salad, and the hamachi crudo.  The charcuterie was good, but lacked cheese, which was a BIG problem.  The chickory salad had burrata and pear and was outstanding, but when a meatless dish is the star at a place popular for its meats, clearly there is a problem.

    I will need to give this place another try, but the portions are small and I was unfortunately underwhelmed.

  • 1.0 star rating
    3/28/2014

    Extremely disappointing. Came here with another couple for a friend's birthday. Had been wanting to try this place for awhile so we were looking forward to a good meal.

    All four of us are very much into food and open to trying almost anything, so we immediately asked our server for the "must try" menu items. Her response was "everything is good"...which is no help at all. Okay, so then we asked about portion size, how much should we be ordering, etc. Again waitress was useless and gave us no direction.

    Naturally we ended up ordering way too much food and unfortunately none of it was worth writing home about. The best thing I had was the fried cauliflower...most likely because it was fried. Overall pretty bland and flavorless. Much better meat and creativity down the street.

    When dessert time came around we looked at the menu and it actually did sound interesting. Again we asked the server what were the best options (a question you'd think she could answer since their menu changes daily and I assume she has tried most things on it) and she said "everything is good". At that point we were put off by her and the overall experience and just decided to call it a night.

    Nothing I hate more then spending a decent amount of money (check was $270) on a subpar meal. In a city overflowing with epic restaurants, this place does not cut it. Giving one star because of their beer list. Won't be returning or recommending.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/24/2012

    I've seen some nutty trends in the whole hog foodscape, but dining in make-shift pens takes the proverbial cake.

    The Publican's atmosphere is flickering bulb away from the surreal altar of a B-movie sacrificial cult, but thanks to steady currents and Western discrete manufacturing, it's industrially-forward rural comfort. Long tables and tall seatbacks around a social C for regal eats (and a Game of Thrones to match), with wall-sized art that would leave a butcher staring into an existential abyss. Très chic!

    And the menu? Pig, mostly. My braised pork belly is single-dishedly THE thickest cut of bacon I've ever encountered. Simply prepared in a maple syrup/red wine reduction and executed flawlessly, this could count as the ugliest, best pork plate you'll eat this year.

    We also found it in our hearts (and by it, I mean enough unobstructed arterial flow) to preface this delight with a sampling of the rotating, daily hams. Or, in my suggested nomenclature, A Little of Three Pigs. Serrano, sweet country style and a third that didn't stick with me - nevertheless, paired with a simple peasant bread and goat butter, jamon it. See what I did there?

    Also from the starters, house pickles begged to be eaten. Fine! Bread and butter chips surpassed an unquelled bitterness from the asparagus, and edged out the mustard-heavy cauliflower to win the battle. Oh, and we snacked on frites. They were, in fact, fried potatoes.

    Somehow thinking we could tear through yet another dish of unyielding richness, our 5-6 bites of the roasted farm chicken over summer sausage and fries (yes, more frites) were smokey, juicy and well-spiced. But the meat sweats had set in, and we had to pack the bird and fly.

    Service is incredibly on-point. With a craft beer/kriek/mid-level wine each, expect to pay $50-60 per head. Or be frugal and stuff yourself with a half charcuterie and the spicy pork rinds for $20. Bread's free if you ask nicely.

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/15/2015

    The atmosphere was unique and sitting at the group tables was not as bad as i thought it would be. Although they have a wide selection of drinks i found most of them to be lacking in flavor despite the tasty sounding descriptions. Prices on drinks went from very fair for this kind of place to outrageously overpriced, there did not seem to be any reasoning to the prices, but a good chunk are fair. Again, the food varies from amazing to somewhat average, and again that goes for the pricing.

    Good Dishes
    Oysters, bread plate, either sausage platter, grilled carrots, salad.

    Dishes to Skip
    Cerviche, ham platter, cheese selection.

    What was kind of a big bring down for me was the waiter said this is family style and to please order everything up front and they will bring it out one at time as we go. Great, so we order and wait. About 10 minutes later 4 of our 7 orders come out in less than a minute of each other. Obviously they all were orders that didnt require cook time so they threw them together and rushed them all out. We had no room on our table for all the plates! After finishing these we waited and then our 3 cooked orders all came out at once. This was a very rushed dinner it seemed, i was kind of annoyed that the waiter wanted us ordering all at once and saying they would spread it out. I also had to flag him down twice for drinks and the place really wasnt that crowded.

    I would say go here but just for a few snacks real quick, not for a meal.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/24/2014
    1 check-in

    This place is amazing!! I decided to come here to try the oysters since I heard great reviews about them. Something that I appreciate at the Publican is that they provide you a list of what oysters you are eating. I asked for the chef's selection and we ordered orange juice for our drinks.

    We waited patiently but after 20 minutes nothing was at our table and I was irritated. However, before I said anything to my friends, our waiter came to our table with some appetizers. He gave us a slice of blueberry pie and side dish of cheese with bread. Our waiter apologized for the long wait and told us the oysters will be ready shortly. We waited five minutes before our oysters were served. Our waiter provided us with a list of the oysters. The chef prepared the following: fanny bay, penn cove, pebble beach, French kiss, malpeque, and the long cove. The oysters were fresh and I was satisfied with all of them, however the penn cove and pebble beach (Washington) were my favorite ones!

    When our bill came our waiter told us that the blueberry pie, bread, and drinks were on the house. He apologized that we had to wait nearly 30 minutes for our oysters. EXCELLENT customer service! Even though it wasn't much, I appreciate when restaurants value their customers. I will definitely come back again because of the service they provided.

    One tip: MAKE RESERVATIONS! If you do not make reservations you'll be waiting like it's Black Friday during Thanksgiving. They have communal seating and enclosed booths on the sides. (Animal stall) The waiters and waitresses here are knowledgeable of the menu so if you need any recommendations don't hesitate to ask them! Last comment, they open at 3:30PM on the weekdays (Mon-Fri) and 10:00AM on the weekends! If you dine here, you must order the OYSTERS!!

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/7/2015
    1 check-in

    This place was a bit different than what I'm used to. Nonetheless, it was delicious. The atmosphere was definitely cool & chill. Would definitely check them out again.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/14/2013
    3 check-ins

    You have a couple of choices out in this part of town.  The Publican is a go to for me.  I loved the decor in here and the booth/saloon type seating.  There is also the communal tables.  Service here is top notch.  You glass is never empty.  

    We luckily got a seat on a friday night.  Thanks so much to the hostess!  

    The food here is very tasty!  I am not a pork belly fan, but it was delicious here.  The outside was deliciously crispy and the inside not fatty.  A must!  

    The farmhouse chicken is also very scrumptious.  The fries balance out the saltiness.  

    We got the mussels and the bread is delicious to dip in that sauce.  We also got a couple of other things, but if you come here get the pork belly and the farmhouse chicken.  Add some veggies and you guys are golden.  These portions are for sharing/tapas style/family style.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/3/2014

    Delicious food! We absolutely loved the country rib. The porchetta was pretty awesome too (huge and fatty). The only dish I didn't love was the corn with the aioli--felt too rich and wasn't sure how I felt about the combination. Great oysters.

    Downside: I've been to publican twice and have felt both times that our waiter/waitress has encouraged us to over order. We asked if we ordered the right amount of food and the waitress made it seem like we were ordering the right amount and definitely not too much. We had probably three times too much food. Our bill was outrageous and we had to bring home half of the food. Be careful about ordering wine too--we were recommended wine that was $18/glass!

    Overall, great food. Portions are probably bigger than you expect so be careful when ordering!

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/15/2014

    Really 3.5 stars.

    This place was really nice and most of the food was good. I ordered the pork shank, it was amazing and huge. My wife got the chicken and it was pretty bad. It tasted like they dumped an entire bottle of paprika on it and popped it in the oven. It was ok though b/c the pork shank was so big we were able to share.

    The service was good, but a little slow and the lady was very uncomfortable which made us a little. The atmosphere was nice. My main complaint is that it was too big. It didn't feel very intimate, it just felt like you were stuck in a massive room with 200 other people.

    All in all I would go back, just don't get the chicken.

    Food: 3.5
    Service: 3.5
    Atmosphere: 3
    Value: 3.5

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/28/2012

    While we were mostly going to this meat-centered restaurant for my carnivore of a partner, I had a great time too! The waiter didn't blink an eye when I said I was vegetarian. I proceeded to order the spaghetti squash gratin and the broccoli dish. I loved that later he came back to check if I was okay with fish broth in the broccoli (I was, but I know most vegetarians aren't).

    The gratin was lovely--creamy, rich, and with a delectable breadcrumb topping, though a bit saltier than what would've been ideal. Loved the tomato and greens it included. The broccoli was the real standout: It was sort of a veggie tempura made with broccoli and lemon slices, but unexpectedly packed with flavor, and amazing paired with the included mayo dip. The broccoli was perfectly cooked and almost had its own creaminess. Both dishes seemed well worth the $10.

    My partner enjoyed his pork rinds and blood sausage. We also shared the cider flight, which was very interesting, but I wouldn't want to have any of them again. Two of the ciders actually had a sort of gamey aftertaste and the scent of miso soup, which is not what I'm ever looking for in a beverage.

    I'm generally not a fan of communal tables, but I it worked well here. It was nice to chat with the friendly peeps next to us about what we ordered. The ambiance of the restaurant was really neat with high ceilings accented with a grid of globe-shaped lamps. I could've done without the super-obese pig paintings when I'm in the middle of stuffing my face, but oh well :)

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/26/2012
    1 check-in

    My fellow Yelpers were not kidding!  Man. it's really loud in that place!  I went there for my hubby's birthday and we really couldn't have a good conversation with each other.  I was yelling at him across our table for two, LOL!  It's definitely not a place for a romantic dinner so for first time daters, not my first choice.
    It's mostly communal tables and communal bathrooms especially the sinks.  However, they do have some tables on the sides for one or two people and bigger private tables for 3 or more folks like they were pigs in a pig pens.  

    Don't even look at the menu on line...it's not matching as when we got there..boo.  It didn't have mussels on there daily menu and some other dishes that you guys recommended us to try, boo:(  Maybe it's seasonal?

    We sat at a table for two by the window. It is a bit dark even though there's a lot of lights in the ceiling, where the heck is the dimmer switch.

    We started with drinks, the beer selection was pretty good.  Hubby got the Dreadnaught and Founders Red's Rye, he liked.  
    I had a glass of red wine that was recommended by the waiter..I wanted something sweet but he recommended something that he liked called  RGL-Zweigelt.  I didn't care much of it, the after taste was kind of metally, but for $13 bucks a glass...I downed that sucker!  Hey, anything over $10 bucks you bet your bottom dollar I wasn't going to waste it, LOL!  It was smooth, but I wouldn't get it again for myself.

    OK so here's the summary:
    They gave us two small plates as the food is like "family style" serving, but  not really family size portions...

    For appetizers:
    -Serrano Ham 1/2 taste of Ham with two cubes of cold goat butter and 3 slices of peasant bread.  It was enough for two.  I would try something else next time.  It was ok, nothing to rave about.
    -Frites with Egg, it was fresh cut fries, had a sweet taste to it like fried red potatoes with two eggs on top sunny side up, medium cooked.  It was pretty good, hubby didn't care much of it over rated.

    Meals:
    -60 day old grilled Rib-eye steak with roasted veggies.  It was all sliced up in huge pieces on a family platter with roasted lemon, radishes, mini bell peppers, greens and one steak knife..really one steak knife?!?.  Don't expect David Burke steak- whole with a large steak knife, it's not what we expected.  At least cut the meat in smaller bite size pieces.  I won't get it again for $55 bucks, I want a side of potatoes at least!
    -California White Bass Fish with potatoes and roasted vegetables.  This was good, a thick piece pan fried fish with a crust on both sides.  Fresh, clean taste.  I'd for sure get this one again, but DO NOT Share!  It was really not enough for two.

    Vegetables:
    Squash with goat cheese and pine nuts.  Nope I didn't like it, I was expecting it roasted not al dente with the hard skin on it.

    Dessert:
    -At least they gave us a small coconut cake with a candle on it.  It was ok.
    -Bread Pudding was pretty good, only good for two people since it's only two cubes of it and a small size scoop of ice cream.
    -Vanilla ice cream.  This one was two small scoops of ice cream.  Like the size you would get when you order gelato.  However, we liked it.  Smooth and creamy and fresh vanilla taste.  I would order this again.

    Pros:
    -The place was spacious and clean
    -Wait staff were friendly, kept our table clean and refilled our water glasses.
    -Gave us a free Birthday dessert with a candle

    Cons:
    -Wish they had an updated menu online to view beforehand
    -For the price we paid for dinner, I wish we had more food.

    Overall:
    It's ok, I'll have to go back for Brunch next time and try their pork dishes.  Maybe my ratings will change...

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/23/2012
    1 check-in

    Pig, meat, and fish focused.

    Perfect spot for this pig lover, and her Pescatarian and beneficial B-blood type friend.

    The vibe is Harry Potter dining hall gone country coral. Communal dining galore. I will return just in hopes to sit in the "pig pen" booths. The standing room only "pre dinner" area is a genius offering.

    The kitchen, open, busy, and beautiful.

    Service was ever so accommodating and knowledgeable.

    The fares are served family style and will arrive at the table courses out and when ready.

    If you think you are too full stop thinking and get dessert. Two actually. Totally worth it.

  • 3.0 star rating
    6/3/2014 Updated review

    Had quite the contrary experience on my 2nd visit to the Publican.

    First, our waiter didn't ask for any refills on the drinks, which was odd - we actually had a hard time flagging him down just for our order - complete opposite as my experience before.

    The platter of various meats were extremely fatty to the point our entire table really only had scraps to eat. Definitely different than my last visit.

    The cauliflower was delicious as before, but that was about it on this visit. The chicken was just fine as well. Nothing I couldn't get anywhere else.

    Nothing really stood out to me this time as unique - and based on the price point, I expect a little more - I had two very drastically different experiences - it will be some time before I head back for more. I am willing to give this place another shot, definitely not bad, but not a 5 on my scale.

    4.0 star rating
    4/1/2014 Previous review
    Had reservations, and was seated immediately, with friendly staff.

    The service was top notch, always…
    Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    5/14/2014
    1 check-in

    Following Anthony Bourdain's advice in "Layover', I found myself in this bustling restaurant, dishing up New American cuisine, paying homage to beer, pork and oyster and many more.  A lots of farm house ingredients.  

    The place definitely is buzzing with vibes.  I booked a couple of weeks in advance and still only manage to get a table at 6:30 pm. The truth is I cannot get a table in 'The Girl and the Goat'!  The whole place was full already by the time I got there, which was only 6:15 pm.  The service staffs are knowledgeable and friendly.  The food was really good.  The oysters was fresh and I still taste the sea water.  The menu change all the time. The concept is share plate.  We had the Charcuterie Plate, with black pepper salami, pork pie, head cheese, country paté, morteau sausage, pkcles & mustard.  Cajun Sausage, the Country Ribs (it is a shoulder cut, more like a chop rather than rib), Roasted Broccoli with Fermented Pepper, Sesame Seed and Spiced Peanut, and Frites.  The Cajun Sausage is with the right amount of heat.  The Ribs is very tasty.  The broccoli is just right, the sauce was so tasty.  Finished the meal with Chocolate Mousse Cake with Goat Cheese Ice-cream.  I had some local brew, but forget the name, but it complimented the food.  I had a very enjoyable dinning experience.  

    Don't be surprise if you see 6 pack for the kitchen $10.  This is the only place I ever been to 'solicit' tips for the kitchen. We are happy to tip the kitchen, after all the kitchen is the one who sweat out the food.

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/24/2014

    We grabbed brunch at The Publican while we were in town. The wait was long, as expected, so we walked over to a donut shop down the street to kill some time. I liked atmosphere of the restaurant: communual seating, long wooden tables in rows, old-fashioned round street lights inside. Cute!

    The food was OK. I order the flank steak with fried egg, and my husband ordered the poached eggs with proscuitto. We also ordered a side of the maple syrup braised bacon. I would have to agree with other Yelpers that the best thing on the menu is the thick cut bacon. I didn't find any of the food really that memorable, but maybe I'll come back again because it seems like their menu is always changing.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/7/2014
    1 check-in

    Flippin amazing. I don't know how else to describe it. Bloody Mary's: on point. Comes with a beer chaser. Food is on point. I can see why they have standing table here as this place is off the chain. The bacon is something that I will wake up with wet sheets to in the future. I have a food boner for this establishment.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/7/2014

    if publican were located in nyc i'd be a happy camper. i don't ever make it out to chicago unless i am forced to (work related that is). which was the case here. and this was the ONE place i really wanted to visit if i had ever returned to chicago! i feel so fortunate i finally got to eat here! yaay me!

    i loved every dish we ordered down to dessert. everything was WELL PREPARED and well seasoned-- not overly salty so i'm sure they don't have any smokers in the back kitchen, heh.
    i also loved the fact that you could taste every ingredient but still enjoy the composition of flavors in each recipe. nothing is worse to me when all you can taste is heavy handed, overly rich sauces masking your expensive, high quality meat or humble veggie like our carrots.

    here's what was on our menu the night we went:
    spiced chicarones (pork rinds)
    potted rillettes
    bbq carrots
    pork belly (reminded me of okinawan style rafute but with a killer radish slaw that balanced out the fat)

    BEER (i had an ale and something really muddy, heh. the bartenders were cool too and let us taste a bunch before committing. how cool is that?)

    cheesecake (i swear it had maple glazed bits of bacon mixed in the crust!)

    the only weird thing about this place and many chicago restaurants we discovered is that if you don't have reservations they will automatically curb you to bar seating. even as we left, there were tons of empty tables. i didn't appreciate that. and i also thought that was WEIRD.

    i also tried to get a t-shirt but they only had XL and the folks said they don't normally sell them to customers. they should really rethink that-- it's advertisement afterall. and i live in hawaii so it's advertisement all the way down the pacific. whatever. the logo is really cute too. my husband would have loved that as omiyage.

    anyway, don't be fooled by those who complain about the charred bread. it's THE way to eat bread when you have accompanying schmeer. what is wrong with those folks? that bit of char always gives an extra earthiness to the bread. wish restaurants in HI knew how to do that. we have excellent keawe wood too. go figure.

  • 2.0 star rating
    9/8/2014

    Very disappointing.  Our concierge recommended this place for brunch and it only had 1 redeeming factor (the bacon).  They were super rude at the host stand and ignored us after we checked in for our reservation even though there were open tables.  The host was literally texting on his phone.  Once we were seated the waiter wasn't overly friendly, they didn't give us full pours of coffee so we had to keep asking for refills.  We ordered the donut (nothing special at all, just a normal donut), bacon (good), waffle (awful, it was so unappetizing and literally was so overcooked that it tasted like toast), and eggs with fries (nothing special).  It was overpriced and the only people who were helpful were the food runners and bus boys who gladly brought us what we needed (ketchup, hot sauce, etc).  Do not recommend.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/25/2014

    I really liked the food.  We had the pork rinds which have a fabulous spice on them, the pork ribs, steak, fries with egg, and a couple other tiems.  The fish stew wasn't my favorite.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/28/2013
    1 check-in

    Thus far, I've been to The Publican twice-- first for a birthday dinner, then for a hungover brunch. I suppose both situations were not ideal, since the communal table makes it a little too loud in those scenarios for different reasons, but I had great experiences both times.

    For brunch, I had their french toast (SO YUM) and a side of bacon (SO YUM). Even though my stomach wasn't prepared to process all that food, I thoroughly enjoyed what I was able to eat and the leftovers for dinner were just as delicious. The portion sizes are perfect as well.

    My favorite thing about The Publican is how they have pictures of different pigs on the walls. While people sit in pig stalls. And eat sausages and pork belly and bacon and all sorts of deliciousness. It's totally rubbing it in and I love it.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/24/2015

    Went with my parents and my significant other. Sat in the booth that completely encloses you in. Loved the server and the food was great. Forgot what I ordered, but there wasn't anything bad. It was a nice quiet place to have dinner with family.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/18/2015

    Publican is best known for it's small meat plates. Located in the west loop, the restaurant has a very cool trendy vibe. Most of the seating is communal and if you are with a group, this makes it easy to share plates.

    For brunch on the weekends, they serve their more experimental menu. I didn't try their bloody mary but my husband was a huge fan of it. Their French toast is amazing, mainly because of the thick toast and syrup and the bacon is a must try. My husband almost always orders the crab scramble which is out of this world.

    I've enjoyed dinner here with a friend who is vegan and the chef was very accommodating and brought out a huge plate of delicious veggies.

  • 1.0 star rating
    5/10/2015

    I've been before and the food was great. However, when I tried to schedule a reservation for New Year's Day Brunch I had a bad customer service experience. I called the restaurant mid-December to make a reservation and left a message asking to be called back. I did not receive a call back and the manager was extremely short, unapologetic and lackadaisical about the entire situation. The experience left an awful taste in my mouth no matter how good the food may be.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 5.0 star rating
    1/17/2015

    If you love meat, cooked perfectly snout to tail, this is your Mecca. Great selection of regional / local and microbrews, but most importantly they have a great formula of success, customer service and food production.  Great atmosphere even when dining alone.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/17/2014

    The Publican gave me the best meal I've ever had in my life... in my LIFE! I mean, everything on the menu is absolutely amazing and I can attest to that because my group and I ordered just about everything on there. In particular, I recommend the cauliflower, the tartar, the fried chicken, the french fries and anything with pork in it. All of there veggies are incredible. I don't even like cucumbers, but I ate those marinated cucumbers right up!

    In addition to awesome food, the wait staff is killer. They were accommodating, friendly and all around top notch.

    Sure, this place is pricey, but it's for good reason and everything is well worth it.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/12/2014

    Our most favorite restaurant in Chicago!! I can't stress this enough! We LOOOOVE everything from this place! From their charcuterie plate to their beers. Everything was to die for and reasonably-priced. I still remember the best beer that I've had here for $5. Unfortunately, I forgot the name. I tried calling but by the time I called, their beer selection has already changed. They also cure their own meats across the street. We have brought friends from Chicago and from out of town and everyone equally raved about this place. We recently had friends from Seattle go here, per our recommendations, and reported to us the superb service that they received. One of them has severe food limitations and the staff went above and beyond to create a great meal for them. I'm so proud! One of the places that I miss now that I don't live in Chicago. Open a restaurant in Seattle, please!

  • 3.0 star rating
    7/10/2015

    We went there last night to celebrate a family birthday. I did enjoy the food, so that is not the reason for the poor review.  Some of our service was good - clearing of plates and replenishing the water was all timely. However, I was disappointed in the variety of of food selection and our delivery of food.  When we arrived for our 8pm dinner reservation, we studied the menu and I determined that there were only 2 dishes that really appealed to me. (Waiter recommended 2 dishes per person).  I don't eat meat and I don't eat legumes so I admit that sometimes I can be a difficult order. However if I stick to fish and vegetables I can always find something on a menu.  When we placed our order, The waiter informed us that one of the two dishes I had selected, they were sold out of - grilled broccoli. There were no other vegetables of interest to me and as a person who eats a lot of vegetables, I was rather disappointed.  After a solid 15 minutes the waiter returned to tell us that the fish I had ordered, they were out of also. I guess this is a sign that I picked some good dishes! But having the two dishes I wanted sold out of was disappointing and we did have an 8 PM reservation which isn't all that late. Later in the meal my family had ordered ham which was supposed to come with bread. When the ham arrived without the bread, we pointed this out to the waiter. He said he would get the toast that it comes with. By the time the toast arrived, most of our food had already been eaten as it had been over 15 minutes.  If the chef intended the meat to be eaten on bread then the bread should come with the food and not so late. No apologies from the waiter...

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/9/2015

    I've been here several times and it's always been excellent. Most recently, my date and I tried out the Chef's Selection menu (kind of like a tasting menu I guess) and it was so good. Everything was fantastic. My favorites included alllll of the vegetable dishes (beets with lebneh, asparagus with some kind of harissa sauce, and ramps) as well as the fish dishes. They were out of this world. GO HERE

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/15/2014

    By far the best meal I've had in Chicago. Ever bite was delicious. I was lucky enough to go with a party of 7 who all wanted to share. The steak tartare and BBQ carrots was probably my two favorites. The chicken was amazing as well and that peanut and chocolate dessert...wow!

    Listen to the servers because they know what they're doing.

    So good!

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/10/2015

    Good food but hit or miss service. Also you better be ready to yell! It's communal seating and it's cramped so you might have to fight for your elbow room with the diners sitting next to you.

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/17/2014

    Came last night for drinks and apps. I would say I had high expectations but honestly I do not really like barbecue or red meat all too much, so they weren't really that high.  I am more of a veggie girl. Plus I was really questioning the communal table aspect however did want to give it a shot. First off, yes the restaurant was super loud (enough that we could have eavesdropped all night on the person's convo next to us and been entertained.) But we didn't and I didn't have too much trouble hearing my buddy and I am pretty deaf. Too much blaring music in my iPod I guess. Beer flights were solid, we got a sour, a pumpkin, and a pale ale and I stuck to the pumpkin the rest of the night. I was happy to get the sour b/c i had never tasted one before but I didn't like it - it really was sour tasting and super flat, go figure. Foodwise we just did apps, 1/2 dozen oysters (selection of E/W coast), barbecue carrots which I was itching to get after reading all the yelp reviews, and fries topped with fried eggs. All of the plates were good, I especially enjoyed the carrots which were tasty for sure and SUPER spicy. They were garnished with dill, ranch dressing or something like it, and red pepper flakes. They were good but not as fabulous as all the talk on this website had me thinking. Next time I come I want to try to dessert as there were a ton of options that sounded and looked amazing. I will be back!

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/25/2014

    Absolutely one of the best dinners I've had anywhere! The menu is diverse and interesting. You can eat light or go whole hog. Literally.

    Very reasonably priced for the quality.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/22/2014

    Thank you Andrew Zimmern for suggesting this place :)

    100% filled our expectations.

    My wife from TN feel that she had the best pork rinds ever and my friend from Puerto Rico felt that he was eating dishes that he grew up with but better.

    Due to the communal seating, it is not suggested fro quite and romantic dinners.

    100% in my schedule next time I come to Chicago

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/21/2013
    1 check-in

    We wanted to try the girl and the goat but couldn't get in and we heard we should try the publican.  It's been compared to the purple pig too so we gave it a shot.  I did not like it as much as the purple pig but it is very good.  We got the maple glazed bacon, mussels, flank steak and frites with egg.  None of it was mind blowing but the flank was really tasty.  

    The place is a communal seating type and very loud music but my wife says she really liked the ambiance.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/18/2014
    1 check-in

    Life-changing (as my friends and I put it).

    Definitely get the following:
    - Steak tartare
    - Mussels
    - Ribs
    - Chicken

    Pro tip - dunk the fries in the chicken juice

    Shared with 4 other friends, bill came out to be ~$40 per person.  

    Portion sizes are about 2 hand fulls for the plates.  Mussels were a huge bowl very worthwhile to share.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/19/2014

    This was my third time dining at this location. The main theme is a large open room, with long table in the middle  and individual larger tables along the wall. The menu focuses on simple high end dishes in seafood, clams and meat. From top to bottom the menu is smaller less expensive dishes and moves to the larger shareable dishes . Although it's a pork themed menu, I always find the seafood and oyster exceptional. Along with a solid good menu, the beer selection is amazing, with about 10 drafts always changing and a variety of bottles beers from around the world. Arrive early to hang for a beer in the waiting area... Enjoy !!!!

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/19/2014

    Highly recommend. The price is on the higher side but well worth. Great selection of fresh meats and ingredients with an awesome atmosphere make this place one of my favorites in Chicago.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/22/2015

    Big barn dining room, table seating in long communal rows, no bar area per se, some stand-and-eat circular tables like in the airport (yes, I was surprised at that but it seemed to work for the folks who were gathered at them). Food is rustic, old world-like and good; but is probably a little too far from the culinary beaten path for kids or grandma and grandpa to feel properly wined and dined. For the adventurer it's a treat, though. Maybe try it solo once and see how you like before you book the dining room for that retirement party.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/30/2014

    Great and fun atmosphere! The food was delicious and unique. Everything came in large portions which made it great for sharing. Service was excellent! Great first time experience. Will definitely go back

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/14/2015

    A new dining experience for me.  This place is comfortably exotic!  I normally pass on dessert but the basil ice cream was phenomenal.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/16/2014

    My fiancé and I recently dined here for our birthdays.  I had a pessimistic attitude going into this place only because I knew it was going to be much like Girl & the Goat - small plates at a high price.  That is exactly what this place is, however every single piece of meat we ordered was delicious.  I would definitely dine here again because the quality of the meat is exceptional.

    Note: Their menu changes a lot so the items I am about to review may not be on the menu right meow...

    Our waiter, David, did a great job of describing the menu and explained 4 plates would be a good amount for two people - we chose 5: Squid, Yellowtail, Blood Sausage, Suckling Pig, & the Sweet Potatoes.  All of the dishes are so unique because they are cooked with a large amount of spices which give off a burst of flavor.

    Yellowtail was the best dish bar none.  It was served in a hot skillet plate and the broth they had it soaked in was out of this world.  They also had it surrounded by clams and onions - so much flavor.  The pig was good; very fatty but tasty - I would order it again.  The blood sausage was not what we expected.  I thought they would serve us a large cut of sausage with a side, but instead the sausage was cut into small bits and served in a noodle dish.  It was not bad by any means, but I think I just wanted to sample the meat by itself.  The squid was decent, but nothing too spectacular - kind of plain.

    The sweet potatoes get their own paragraph.  These kicked ass.  You think you're simply ordering a high carb side to keep your belly full, but that was not the case.  The potatoes are chopped into large bits and pieces topped with yogurt, a brown sugar glaze, parsley, sesame, crushed red pepper, and few other items I did not recognize.  Theses taters were so good.  I wouldn't even think twice about ordering them again.  Being Irish, I've had plenty of potatoes - these may be the best I've ever had.  If you go to Publican, order the sweet potatoes.  You can thank me later.

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/8/2014

    From all the rave reviews, I thought this place would be *unbelievable*.  We felt that everything bordered on either much too sweet, or much too salty.

    Our server seemed very indifferent with helping us, barely acknowledging us before walking away to do something else.

    One plus is that the restaurant is quite large with a decent patio and we had no trouble getting a table for brunch on a Sunday morning.

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/26/2015

    This was my third visit to Publican and probably my last because of the experience not the food.  We had a 1:30 reservation and the restaurant was not crowded.  Our waitress came to the table 15 minutes after we were seated. She took our drink order and informed is the kitchen closed at 2, so to order whatever we wanted totally.  The bloody Mary's were good with a beer chaser. We ordered oysters which were delivered by someone else and we had to ask for plates and hot sauce.  Our dishes to share were good sirloin and a few other items and again not delivered by the waitress and no plates .  She did not check how the food was in a timely manner.  Plates were cleared quickly and water refilled often. There was a discrepancy on the bill which we questioned and the waitress told us we were wrong. We waited ten minutes to speak to the manager who started out by telling us we were wrong - no effort to be customer focused.  She could not fix the issue she had to talk to the chef. Another 10 minutes goes by and the waitress drops the check without comment.  We called her over and she said she thought we knew there was an adjustment and walked away again !   They have good food but it certainly isn't inexpensive and the attitude was condescending.  Save your money and go somewhere else.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/3/2014

    While I agree about the lack of hospitality / service here, I'd have to say that the dinners that I enjoyed here (twice!) were both wonderful. The porchetta and duck hearts are a must try -- those definitely stand out in my memory. Make sure to order some veggies to balance out the richness of these kind of savory dishes, though.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/8/2014

    Saturday brunch was amazing! Beef lengua, side of bacon, and spicy Bloody Mary. If you go you get the side of bacon for sure no matter what.

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/9/2014

    We went here for our Anniversary.

    As other reviewers said, even though I made reservations on OpenTable months in advance they tried to sit us at the community tables but I asked if a private table was open and luckily there were quite a few open and they sat us at a small private table (7pm on Sat).

    The service was good and the atmosphere was trendy - overall a fun experience.

    Brussel Sprouts: You won't recognize the brussel sprouts at all - they are minced to make a refreshing salad with a cheese that is sort of like cream cheese. They brought this out first but it actually pairs well with the heavier dishes.  In the future I'll ask if this can be brought out with a meat dish.

    Spicy Pork Rinds: I love pork rinds and to be honest I prefer the ones in the bag you buy from the store.  Our thoughts were that these were not salty enough - I could have used no chili/lime powder (not very spicy at all) and just a lot of salt.  It was neat to try them fresh - they were so fluffy and a little greasy.  I would not order these again though.

    Fried Cauliflower: My partner commented that this was his favorite dish of all.  It was very similar to broccoli tempura, but of course with cauliflower, with a great tangy/spicy dipping sauce.  It was a bit heavy for me to start with before the meat but I thought it was good.

    Pork Belly: This is what we came here for.  It wasn't as tender as we expected - it was more of a pulled pork texture but it was tasty.  It had a sweet flavor to it which I needed to balance a little more with the brussel sprout salad.

    Country Ribs: These had a really great flavor - it was like the best pork chop I ever had.  It looked like a steak, had a great char grilled flavor, and was very juicy!  The meat was more on the medium-rare side so be sure to ask for it well-done if you don't like your pork less coooked.  I liked this better than the pork belly and it sure was a lot of food.

    Overall, this was a nice experience for our Anniversary.  Given all of the great restaurants left to try in Chicago and how little we go to eat somewhere of this caliber ($ - with one drink each it was about $70/person w/ tip),  I don't think we'll be back soon but I would say this place is definitely worth trying.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/8/2014

    Interesting set up with tables. Feels Medieval time like with the giant long table and the swinging doors at the booths. The food is family style and supposed to be shared. It's a little pricey and a little to fancy for my liking, but not bad. I was not a fan of the Sirloin, but we got this apple salsa, frites, and mussels that were delicious. I split all this with two other girls and it was definitely enough. I also got this Alcoholic Cider to drink. Wasn't my favorite. The main reason I give this place a 4 is because the service was so great. Our waiter was always readily available and our water glasses always full.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/19/2014

    Love this place! Perfect for drinks or dinner with friends after work or on the weekends.  The best sangria ever; great calamari and mussels in curry sauce!

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/2/2015
    1 check-in

    I had an amazing experience here. Got to the restaurant an hour before my res. the area around the publican is dead (and creepy) at night but luckily they have a lounge next door called the Betty where we has pre dinner drinks and enjoyed great service from the staff there. Next we went back to the restaurant for our res promptly at 9 but didn't get seated until 9:40 (this is where they lose a star). However after that we had an amazing dinner after with a wonderfully personable waiter. All the courses were family style and recommended by our waiter. We had three of the vegetable dishes, all yummy- my least favorite was the fried cauliflower, most favorite was the artichoke. My favorite main dish was the pork belly! To die for! Now I'm not a dessert person but I gave into it this time. The coffee came French press and the desserts were perfect mix of sweet crunchy and creamy (ice cream). We got the chocolate with espresso ice cream and the strawberry rhubarb- definitely recommend. Will be back!

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/27/2013

    The menu does change from time to time so don't be surprised if you see something on here that they don't have when you dine here. Communal tables so if you don't like sitting next to strangers, don't come here.

    Oysters - all very good. Not too salty or fishy at all.
    Chicken pate w/toast - Like butt-ah!!!!

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/6/2015

    Good brunch spot, although the vegetarian choices were limited. I have to say I was devastated and had to knock off points when, after I ordered, the waiter returned with news that the french toast was gone. Again, being vegetarian, my options were limited and I had my heart set on that french toast! Not feeling like a waffle, I had to settle for a non-brunchy option - unfortunately I cannot find it on the current menu - which was too spicy for my taste.

    All in all, the Publican really is great. It helps to check out the menu in advance as it changes from day to day.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/1/2014
    1 check-in

    After hearing about it forever, I finally made it here. I was greeted warmly as I entered the Publican on a warm summer evening. I was early and stood in the bar area while I waited for my friends. A friendly server took my drink order and gave me a menu to peruse. We were seated outside and wish I could've kept my first server because he was nicer. Not that the second one wasn't good, he just wasn't as warm. We ordered a few plates to share and I was not disappointed. Dishes are definitely packed with flavor and/or just very unique. My favorite was the striped bass, followed by the shrimp and octopus. The beets were ok, but not the best I've had. My beer and friend's cocktail were good. Very happy that we got to sit outside and had our own table because I detest communal seating. A bit on the pricey side, but at least the food is up to par. Glad I got to try it. Solid four stars for the Publican.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/20/2013
    1 check-in
    Listed in Out of Town Faves!

    Another great find in Chicago if you have time to eat here.

    This is another tapas (larger portions than normal) that a lot of locals like to dine in. The venue itself is pretty large and spectacular. It's just several very long connected wooden tables that are shared by all the parties. They also have side booths with a mid section high door that covers your entire party when you sit down. If you like some privacy, request to be seated in one of the booths.

    We indeed ordered several plates but one of my favorites had to be the short ribs. The meat was very tender and very flavorful.

    We ordered the chef's selection of oysters. Pretty good oysters for being in Chicago.

    The Suckling pig was also very great. The way pork should be cooked!

    If you want to get your hands dirty order the Dungeness crab because that was a winner in our book! Loved the flavor and the meaty texture of the crab.

    We ordered the chocolate tart for dessert. If you are a chocolate lover then this is the dessert for you. I didn't care too much for the crust but the chocolate mousse itself was amazing!

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/17/2014

    I'll be back.

    My friend and I shared  the grilled asparagus w/lemon aioli, grilled carrots, and pork belly. Bustling environment and very helpful server that aided us in navigating the menu. Not difficult to get a table at 6:15 on a Saturday night, however we might be the exception to the rule. Pricey, but worth the quality.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/16/2012 Updated review
    8 check-ins

    I've got to raise The Publican up a notch from my last review. Their service is still spotty from some of the waiters and they leave you just waiting....waiting....waiting...I wonder why they haven't improved upon that? I guess they think the food makes up for the service and it does. But what keeps me from going 5 stars at The Publican is the service. One exception is the runner that looks like Vinny Chase. Last time I was in I told him he looked like Vinny from Entourage and he was quite happy & good to us in bringing out our food the rest of the meal. Why isn't he a waiter?! He's great!

    On my most recent visit, I took my Australian friends and they loved the brunch food! They all became huge fans of the Publican bacon, but let's be honest, who isn't? It's the most amazing bacon I've had in my life. The maple glaze on this thickest piece of bacon I've had in my life is just perfection on my tastebuds. I loved the Cashew & Pecan Sticky Bun so much in previous visits, that I got it again this time. Everyone at the table really enjoyed this prelude to our main meal and it was soft and amazingly flavorful just as I remembered it!  Their waffles remain to be amazing and this time around they had an awesome spread on the waffle! The jams are seasonal of course and whatever jam was in a couple weeks ago was great!

    I got the Fulton Market Quad on this trip and probably wouldn't get it again. It included some good meats but a couple were super spicy and a bit too much for me. My friend's Maple Glazed Pork Shoulder looked really good and I think I'll try that on my next trip. The Pork Belly Bibimbap is also on my 'must try' list.

    In my opinion The Publican has one of the best brunches in the city and is a great place to go with a group.

    3.0 star rating
    3/23/2011 Previous review
    I've had The Publican bookmarked for some time and have been wanting to go. I was excited when… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    12/16/2014

    The food is top notch - creative and 'foodie-friendly' without being 'foodie-snooty.'  

    The scene and vibe is definitely crafted to a certain aesthetic, but it doesn't feel overwrought.  It almost feels authentic.

    My only beef is with the service and the 'family style' drive behind the kitchen.  Family style is great, but it doesn't always work that a group wants to eat that way.  When we told our waiter that, he said he couldn't organize the kitchen in such a way to bring out our dishes in a more traditional appetizer - main course manner.  The meal came out all higgeldy-piggeldy with someone's main course coming out ahead of another person's salad, a couple of veggie side dishes coming out well ahead of the rest of our party of four's "main courses," etc.  

    If the food wasn't so frigging awesome, I'd probably not come back ... but the food was 6 start great.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/23/2013
    1 check-in

    I stopped in here for brunch and though the place was pretty nice looking on the inside. They have a mostly long table in the middle of the room and you end up sitting kind of at what amount to bench seats. It is not uncommon to sit right elbow to elbow with strangers. This is a bit of a departure from what most restaurants in the states have where you are sequestered off to your own little slice of privacy where ever it is you end up eating. The staff was very friendly and helpful and we had a reservation which they seated us at as soon as we arrived. Nothing worse than having reservations and being curbed for 10 mins while a place gets stuff sorted out....but I digress.

    For a starter we sampled the coffee cake and it was fresh, warm and out of this world delicious. I'd probably have eaten 4 of those just by myself if I cast all shame and self control to the wind. But I held fast and waited for the main course I ordered. For the main course I had the wine poached eggs and while I have always been a fan of poached eggs the wine poached variety are extra delicious. It's a red wine so it will add a little bitter to the dish but since it's basically a brunch menu item it's just what your taste buds need to get the day kick started. I also ordered a side of the maple glazed half inch cut bacon and while there were only two slices it was more than filling and complimentary to the meal in general.

    Since the food is at a bit of a premium on price I'd recommend trying this place out at least once and if you ever have people in visiting from out of town it'd be a good spot to take them.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/29/2012

    My boyfriend and I came here for our anniversary and we probably had one of the best dining experiences ever. We're foodies, so that's a BIG statement!

    The restaurant itself has a nice ambiance, with dim lighting and a big dining room.  They encourage community seating, so the majority of the restaurant is set up with long dining tables in the middle and "pig pens" on the perimeter, which is a really cool concept! The pens can probably fit 2-4 people comfortably.  The noise level can be loud because it's always busy and people come there for various reasons, be it meetings, dinners, date nights, or what have you.

    We ordered the charcuterie as an appetizer, which is a plate of different cured meats and meat pie.  Everything was flavorful and delicious.  A definite must try because they're known for cured meats.For a vegetable dish, we got the cabbage with creme fraiche, which was both creamy, a little sweet, and a bit savory.  A combination of flavors that's very unique.  Lastly, we shared the country rib, which was a pretty big portion! It came with two giant rib portions along with some veggies and apple slices.  Grilled to perfection with a nice sear on the outside and the meat still juicy and tender on the inside.  I really can't even describe the flavor, that's something you'll have to happily enjoy on your own.  

    Needless to say, we left happy and full.  The bill wasn't too bad either, about $60 with tax and tip for 3 amazing plates.

    Great service, memorable dishes, and fairly priced. An absolute gem in the West loop!

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/9/2014

    Probably one of my most incredible dining experiences I ever had.  The pork rinds are buttery and spicy.  The sardine is fresh and incredible tasting,  The Sun chokes remind me of a hot summer day grilled deliciousness.  The whole chicken with fries was mind blowing as the fries were saturated in the juices from the chicken and even though the chicken was incredible, the fries really knocked my socks off.  The blood sausage is amazing and they cooked it to tone down on the irony blood taste.  I loved the BBQ tripe which rendered a slightly fried taste mixed with chick peas.  This place is just amazing I see why you need a reservation 1 month or more in advance.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/13/2014
    1 check-in

    The Burton's maple bacon is not to be missed! Love the rare tea cellar, community seating and great service.. Ask for Mike!!

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/17/2013
    3 check-ins

    We were seated right in between a group of 8 and a group of 2- and the restaurant was at most, 20% full. Was that really necessary? We asked to move over a seat when the party of 8 left but were told a party of 12 was coming. That's fine. There are like 40 chairs open everywhere else?!
    It took our server maybe 10 min to take our order and again, he maybe had 3 tables max. I've been here maybe 2 years prior and was very impressed with the service- maybe they had an off day, or maybe it just got worse?
    I had the brisket for brunch and it was delicious.  The portion isn't impressive when you get it, but it definitely is filling.  

    Food is probably 3.5-4 stars. The service was terrible so the star rating reflects that mostly.  Maybe a different server or staff combination would have made this experience better.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/28/2014
    1 check-in

    I have to admit I was having a hard time swallowing Chi-town's brunch scene but my latest trip to here has refreshed my palette. It also helped that I joined a couple of friends  visiting for the weekend. The food here was bright, fresh and fair priced, then compounded by the excellent service and atmosphere, we'll mos def be coming back many more times.

    We shared a side of bacon and the pork rinds for apps. The pork rinds were pretty good, the spices they used to powder the pork rinds with was decent, although I would prefer that it was more uniformly applied. The bacon however was f'ing divine. Seriously, perfect cut, perfect cook, and perfect texture. I honestly could have just ate bacon for the rest of the meal and been completely satisfied.

    I'm a sucker for kimchi, so of course I ordered the bibimbap w/porkbelly, which was amazing. Usually establishments will tone down the pickled taste of the cabbage as well as the spice... to the point of almost no heat. The Publican did a great job of preserving the profile of the kimchi in this dish but, personally, it could have been spicier, nonetheless it was still great. Oh and the pork belly was phenomenal.

    My girlfriend had the limited offer lobster scrambled egg. This was one of those dishes that only happen when they have the ingredients; this so happened to be a day they had live lobster waiting to be boiled to death for our culinary pleasure. I had a few bites, and damn, it was worth every penny. I believe it was around $20 but hey, it's fresh lobster in Chicago, wmcyaf!?

    I highly recommend coming in a group, it is brunch after all, and sharing your dishes. I've heard their dinner menu is worth a try as well, so maybe we'll just have to have brunch again and then hang around for dinner!

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/9/2014
    1 check-in

    Absolutely, positively one of the best restaurants in Chicago! The brunch was fantastic with the schnitzel and spicy mustard covered by an open faced egg and hash.  Their bacon is amazing and the drinks are equally special. We make it a point to try to come here at least twice a year to enjoy the fantastic atmosphere and the amazing meals.   Right across the street is a delicatessen where you can buy the unique meats, cheeses and spices that they use in their restaurant as well. If you come to Chicago you have to try this place!   One of my all time favorites!!!

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

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  • Start your review of The Publican.

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  • 4.0 star rating
    9/17/2014
    1 check-in

    This was really my first time trying "eclectic" food and I could not have picked a better restaurant than Publican. Our waitress was so nice and helpful. All her suggestions were spot on.  We started out with the clam fry and lobster salad. Fried clams with cheese curds - great!!  I think because I just came back from Boston, the lobster salad did not measure up to what I experienced out there. I think the salad was decent by itself as well as the home made saltines ok by themselves but pairing them together, for me, a no. We then ordered the frites with Barbara eggs and we couldn't have been more excited. We broke the 2 yolks and mashed up the eggs, mixed it all around and devoured it all bit by bit. The suckling pig - you think eh, not gonna try this, but you try this and you can't get enough of the juiciness of it and the bark - wow!!  The bark!!!!  Intense and addictive. I want a plate all to myself. We decided to get a vegetable so we got the acorn squash. It sat atop some plain Greek yogurt-like mixture with syrup underneath the other half of the squash. Very very good!!  The pairing was delicious but me being me, I wish the yogurt and syrup were on top instead. The drinks were strong. I got a couple Dark & Stormy's and could have had a couple more but didn't!!  I wanted to remember and enjoy my meal. The ambience was eclectic, casual, low-key, unpretentious. The decor and lighting was beautiful and modern with some antique blended in. Private bathrooms but communal sink. We were fortunate enough to get a stable booth instead of sitting at a communal table. Not too shabby Publican!  Can not wait to come back!

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/9/2014

    Service was absolutely incredible. Chant it with me: "WE WANT MEAT, WE WANT MEAT, WE WANT MEAT!" That's exactly what you will get at The Publican, meat on meat on meat. The wait staff is incredibly knowledgeable and willing to share their opinion on palatability of certain meats and preparation. I was struck by their ability to recite not only meat, but also beer suggestions. That takes talent and serious study. It's communal eating, and I found it to be the most charming part of the restaurant. I actually don't mind engaging in conversation with people around me. One of the cruel ironies of Chicago is that it's easy to feel anonymous, but Publican pushes the envelope and forces great conversation with strangers and friends. The beer selection is UNREAL, a must go for any beer nerd.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/13/2015

    Great service and food, we really enjoyed brunch there.  Get there early-  but even if you have to wait it is wayyyy worth it!!!!

  • 2.0 star rating
    6/7/2014

    So we went here for brunch on a Saturday.

    As far as the ambiance, the first thing that hits you is that this place is loud. The seating style is large communal tables where you are packed tightly next stranger nearly knocking elbows as they set you down. I just wanted a nice cozy meal with my girlfriend and I'm stuck listening to strangers talk about their lives whether I want to or not... At least there were some funny paintings of giant fat pigs all over the place. Now that's gotta score some points!

    As far as the food, we had oysters for starters which were kinda small but were fresh and tasty enough. I had the oven baked pancake which had bacon wrapped chicken in it, and I do have to say that it was quite excellent. My companion pondered over getting the loco moco, which was a burger with pineapple fried rice on it, or the sturgeon. The unusual mix on the burger was too loco for her and she ended up eating the sturgeon which was too salty and the base breading was soaked in gravy and too soggy.

    Overall, the food was kinda hit or miss with some very good and some not so much, but the tight communal seating and the loud atmosphere was too overpowering.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/7/2014

    Warning: this review is solely based on martinis and the bar-b-que carrots & decor.
    Loved those carrots, I tired to mimick them at thanksgiving, I need to know
    How they make those....

    I had four amazing martinis, love those bartenders!
    I tried to buy beer for the kitchen staff, on the menu, but they are not allowed to drink
    It until after closing, that is lame.
    I sat at the bar, cause I'm not a fan of the communal dining trend, why is that a thing
    Now?
    The bar is hella weird, who designed that? Major fail! You have to stretch your neck
    Up to look over it, or you stare at yourself in a glossy golden brass reflection.
    I feel for the bartenders, Will & Jordan were working, they probably get carpal tunnel

    The rest of the decor/design is really cool, the bathrooms even prompted me to take
    A selfie, I never do that!
    The sink is nicely unusual, I felt like I was in France, like a fountain.
    Good ppl watching place!

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/22/2014
    1 check-in

    What a cool place!  I loved the decor and that their menu is meant to be shared.  We love trying multiple things and sharing.  We started with the serrano ham- amazing (and my husband and I just got back from Spain).  We also had a delicious squid dish (I think it was a season item), the ham chop "in hay" which we HIGHLY recommend another pork dish.  They had an extensive selection of beers and ciders on tap and everything seemed really unique.  We would absolutely return.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/21/2013

    Mother's day needs:  
    -early reservation
    -ambient noise in case of errant baby noises
    -a place we really wanted to go

    The Publican was check, check and check!  There were two bumps in the road:

    When they first seated us at the end of the table the hostess placed the high chair so the waiters couldn't get through so we spread ourselves into the two "buffer" chairs at the communal table between us and another quite large party.  It really worked out much better and the hostess should have realized it to start.

    I ordered The Publican mimosa which is made with beer.  (Imagine me making a disappointed and this tastes nasty face.)  Luckily, they switched it out gladly for one with a more appealing bubbly.

    The food was terrific,we split a pretzel with delicious pimento spread, coffee cake and pork rinds - the pork rinds were an after thought as a neighboring party ordered them and they looked so fun.  I would probably skip that next time.  I had the Publican version of Eggs Benedict with fancy wine poached eggs, pork belly and a bechamel sauce that was out of this world.  I also had really good orange juice and some okay coffee.

    Our server was very efficient, friendly and accommodating and the food runners were also quite nice.  My absolute favorite public bathroom of all time is here - like all bathrooms should be organized.

    We had a great Mother's day and a very good lunch.  And the baby sounds?  Totally couldn't hear them.  Success!

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/20/2014

    My boyfriend and I recently dined here for his birthday.  Neither of us had been, but wanted to try it out, as we'd heard good things about it.  I made reservations via Open Table, but after reading some Yelp reviews about the communal seating, I called to follow up on my reservation.  Since it was for his birthday dinner, I asked the girl on the phone if it would be possible for us to have a booth or separate seating.  She was very pleasant and said they would try their best to accommodate my request, but couldn't guarantee anything.  

    Unfortunately, we were seated at the very end of one of their communal tables.  I understand that's how they operate, but I'm not a huge fan of having to share my conversation and meal with a total stranger.  

    Our server was very helpful in guiding us on how many plates to order and what our expectations should be when we ordered.  They have a great wine and beer list.  Since it was my boyfriend's birthday I told him to order whatever he wanted!  We started out with the friend smelt.  Not something I'm a huge fan of, but I tried a couple of them.  They were okay, again, not a fan of fried fish and they were very "fishy" tasting.  

    He also ordered half a dozen oysters.  I did not partake.  He said they were very good.  I'll take his word for it.  

    For our dinner, we decided on the pork belly, the 1/2  roasted chicken and an order of brussel sprouts.  The pork belly was very good, served with a quiche like cheese pie on the side.  

    The chicken was served with frites and three summer sausage medallions.  The summer sausage was a bit hard and dry.  In fact, at one point when my boyfriend tried to cut into his sausage, it slipped away and nearly fell in the lap of the lady sitting next to him.  (again, another downside of communal seating)  The flavor and texture of the chicken was excellent!  The brussel sprouts were also amazing!  

    I had mentioned on the phone when I called about the seating that we would be celebrating a birthday and they must have let the server know.  Before we could order dessert, a puff pastry with a scoop of birthday cake flavor ice cream with a single lit candle was sent over to my boyfriend.  (points for that, despite our seating arrangement)  

    We ordered additional dessert to share.  It was a chocolate cake sort of thing.  It was okay, nothing special.  The after dinner drink I ordered was their limonchello.  Not like any limonchello I've had before, it was very creamy and didn't make me cringe like most do!  My boyfriend's after dinner drink on the other hand, was awful.  It tasted like nerve tonic.  Well, what we imagine 1800's nerve tonic would taste like....  It was some speciality the server recommended and I have to say, it was quite horrendous in taste.  Both drinks were served in glasses that looked like a votive candle glass and were priced at $8 and $9 each.  For those prices, I would have expected them to be served in a cocktail glass or snifter size glass.

    All said and done, after tip our total was $227 for two.  Now, we both had wine, beer and a few cocktails each, which drove our tab up probably by an extra $100.  

    The food was great, the service good, atmosphere was fair. We probably won't go back.  If they could guarantee our own table, then maybe.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/20/2014

    This place really impressed me. Everything was great:
    Service: Fantastic
    Atmosphere: Very cool
    Drinks: Unique and refreshing
    Food: Tasty and inspired
    I would head back here any day and honestly everything we tried was amazing so you can't go wrong here.

  • 2.0 star rating
    1/3/2014

    I paid over $40 and did not order a drink. I was somewhat starved after the meal. My girlfriend offered to make me wagon wheel pasta when we got home to allow me to feel full enough to fall asleep. This place betrays the ethos of the meatpacking district and Chicago when it charges $24 for a red snapper and then puts about 3 oz. of fish on your plate. Go back to NYC, SF, LA, or wherever the Hell you came from.

    I'm adding a second star because some of the food tasted delicious. Some of the food tasted as you would expect food to taste.

    Also, the station to wash your hands is placed in a communal area. This creates a lot of social pressure to wash your hands. But it seems half of the bathrooms also have private stations to wash your hands. Some people are washing their hands in private but being judged in public for being non-hand washers. Oh, the horror. The communal hand washing area creates confusion and anxiety for millions of customers each year.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/15/2013
    1 check-in

    Turn up! Turn up! Mother's Day 2013!

    This was my first Mother's Day and it was a day of pure happiness.  We went to brunch at Publican because I wanted a place that would have great food, noise to cover up Z's screams, and good drinks.  Hey - two out of three ain't bad.  

    I really liked our food.  We had some appetizers: pork rinds, (those are part of the paleo diet, so I think they're considered healthy now, yes?) a pretzel with pimento cheese, and coffee cake.  I loved them all!  For the main course I ordered the flat bread with asparagus, salami and egg.  I devoured it.  

    The beverages is where the meal fell flat for me.  The coffee had a very citrus taste to it (reminiscent of Daybreak from Caribou) that I didn't like.  The beer selection was minimal and the bloody mary was too spicy for me.  Wah!

    The service was good and even though some of the other patrons seemed baffled that there were so many families with children in attendance, the staff didn't miss a beat.

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/19/2014

    When you are as successful as the Publican, the hostess at the entrance to the restaurant can easily dispense with any hint of a friendly welcome, a curt "do you have a reservation?"  and an equally brusque "all members of the party here?" will do.

    Seated a short while later at the "communal table," we looked over the extensive beer menu and the numerous dishes..  "Communal table" is somewhat a misnomer, it is more tables without any room between and the din in the cavernous room makes any conversation except with the person across or next to you impossible (the screeching large party next to us tried valiantly).

    With large paintings of pigs on the wall, the current cravings for all things pig seem to be easily satisfied and the "potted rillettes" were fantastic, my favorite dish of the night since the charcuterie plate we ordered only appeared on the final bill but not on the table.  The "spicy" pork rinds were bland (not much spice), the farm chicken moist and tasty (even though I did not care for the rub).  The suckling lamb consisted of a very good lamb chop and some lamb meat confit on a bed of lentils, the dish was small and at $28 overpriced (prices for beer and food tend to be at the upper margins in general).  My favorite of the evening was the great fresh bread with quality butter, something that patrons have to specifically request in order to receive this (free) treat.  The "opt in" psychology on full display.  We also liked the (mostly sweet) house pickles.

    The beer list has many choices, nicely subdivided by provenance and sometimes style.  Aside from well-known local and US breweries, there are some specialty gems from abroad and from here, expect to pay accordingly.

    Service was really lovely.  Given the huge, roaring space full of diners (many standing and waiting at high tables in the middle of the room), the women servers we had were up to the task with aplomb.  Plates are cleared speedily (your table, after all, is a precious commodity) but we did not feel hurried.  We had dessert (the choices are conservative but all good) and coffee (French press) to finish the meal.  Lingering at the small lobby before going back out into a cold evening, no one bothered to acknowledge our visit.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/31/2015

    As someone who can't even eat pork and doesn't enjoy oysters/seafood, I can still love the publican. Their chicken is one of the best I've ever had and the vegetables are always amazing. And brunch is also delicious.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/8/2014

    Wanted to try The Publican for ages and finally got around to it.  Had a good late night dinner experience (9PM reso) and would be interested to try it again for dessert or brunch--(was dying to try the angel food cake dessert...angel food cake is *never* on dessert menus!...but was too full).  The service and pacing of this small plates establishment was 5 stars for sure. I haven't been to a restaurant in a long time that did such a good job of pacing the timing of the dishes--awesome! As well, the service was friendly and just overall excellent--also awesome.  For two of us, 2 larger small plates and 2 smaller small plates was plenty of food--granted, we weren't starving, however. We tried the roasted squash, country ribs, corn, and sirloin--and the dishes came out in that order--perfect.  Everything was good but not super amazing or overly tasty--at least in our opinion.  The ribs were a little fatty for our liking (but that's just a preference); the vegetables were well prepared but just fine; and the sirloin was probably our favorite--very tender and flavorful. The diners around us ordered some of the seafood dishes, and those looked excellent.  The fries looked to be pretty standard.  All of this said, the overall experience was quite nice, and the server had an excellent suggestion for a beer (the Nitro). It was refreshing to have a suggestion, as I've been to a lot of beer-centric places where questions about what to order can be met with some attitude or beer snobbery--not so at The Publican. I'd recommend The Publican if you're looking for a casual dining experience with a unique ambiance, excellent service, and a-okay food. Oh, and the atmosphere was still pretty lively the dining area for a late night Fri. dinner. It was a bit loud--so maybe not *the best* for an intimate first date, but it was a nice level of noise.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/25/2014

    Do yourself a favor and order a mild bloody, eggs, and porkbelly bacon

    Come hungry and leave happy.  Then stop at the butcher shop that is next door and get your next meal

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/16/2015

    One of the best meals I've ever had in my entire life. This is a must for anyone traveling to Chicago. The prices were very reasonable and the portions size were beyond my expectations. The beer selection was fantastic. The oysters were fresh and tasty. I'm sooooo glad someone recommended this place.  The hostesses were very friendly, attentive, and accommodating during our wait. Our server Kyle was the man! Even the guy at valet was awesome!

  • 3.0 star rating
    7/8/2013

    Get the bacon!  It was absolutely the best thing on our table.  

    Grabbed brunch at the Publican, and service was slow despite the fact that the Publican was less than half full. It took half an hour to order and at least 20 minutes to get our bill.  

    We ordered--on recommendation from our server--the bone marrow, The bone marrow was the dish that was enjoyed the least.  It was all greasy and it was served with a toasted kind of oily bread; predictably, it was too greasy.

    It wasn't very busy since we were there pretty early in the day, and every time we needed something we'd have to take a good 5 minutes to flag down a server.  And then the actual server never responded -- the bus/water boy did, and he'd just tell us he'd get us a server.  He did, eventually, but not for like 10-15 minutes.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/5/2013

    I'm a New York City gal on vacation who took a temporary leave of absence from her quintessential  Manhattan yelping to aid a friend in need of bachlorette party planning. The Yelp Community did not fail me, not only did this place exceed my expectations this might be the best restaurant I've ever been to!!!! (bold statement I know)
    Let me start by saying what really blew me away as the attention to detail in the decor, ambiance, and service.
    It was rated one of the top brunch places by travel and leisure magazine which led me to fear it may cater to an older more stuffy crowd but I couldn't have been more wrong. The theme is very farmhouse/swine-like; with communal tables, tall tables with purse hooks in the center ( perfect for a drink and some light bites), and pig pens on the outskirts where you have to open the door to get into your booth. From the bathroom to the silverware, to the servers all wearing the same janitorial uniforms this place has it down to a tee. There were two choices of bloody marys,  I opted for the traditional as the other had chipotle pepper and whiskey which isn't my cup of tea. The bloody mary came with a choice of side beer, 4 choices to choice from in pint sized glasses to kill the spice.  Honestly this place blew me away that by the time the food came they has already won my heart and could do no wrong.  Do not miss the steak over truffled polenta! This place is famed for their pork so we got the pork and beans to share and were underwhelmed but like I said this place had me at hello and could do no wrong.
    Must go to if your in Chicago or want to wow out of towners! I'm no country bumpkin, I live in NYC and pride myself in seeking out the latest hot new restaurants and this place is definitely a go to. NOM NOM NOM!

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/14/2014
    1 check-in

    Great place with a cool vibe and decor. Server was very helpful and knowledgeable. Oysters, spicy pork rinds, porchetta, mussels, were all good. Duck hearts were pretty good too!

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/12/2014

    I am happy that we waited the extra minutes for a private booth! The community table setting is not ideal for conversation.

    Loved the aperitifs, oysters, blood sausages, prosciutto trio tasting plate, beets, lamb, and the hazelnut financier with salted caramel ice cream.

    This is a foodies dream. I am satiated.

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/1/2013
    1 check-in

    Good food, but I think it's a bit pricey with the small portion.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/7/2014

    Great setting and food.  Friendly staff.  We'll be back next time we're in town.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/28/2014

    I've never had a bad dish here. This place is on my must hit list for every trip to Chicago, and that's saying a lot.

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/22/2012
    1 check-in

    Publi-can you do better than that? LOVED the ambiance of this place, being that I was visiting I really loved the unique and rustic-ness of the place which was seemingly representative of the cool, clean Chicago downtown area. If you don't mind feeling like a barn animal being trapped in a high class barn, ask if you could sit in a booth, they literally have a wooden gate at the end of the booth that encloses you in. Kinda fun, kinda wierd.

    As for the food, I wasn't too wowed. The one dish that was really good was the maple glazed pork shoulder with pickled cauliflower and braised greens. I  also got a salad with lox that was disturbingly similar to a salad I could make with Safeway mixed greens and Newmans Own salad dressing. Minus the $15 that I paid at Publican. My friends had better experiences with dinner, so I'll definitely give it another shot next time I'm in town.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/23/2014

    Pros: Went here one Sunday morning for brunch with a group of 4. We arrived around 1:15 or so and brunch ends at 2 but there was a little wait but the hostess assured us that we would be seated beforehand. And we were! The food was great. I loved the pancake and the steak was good as well.

    Cons: The staff took a bit longer than I preferred but they were super busy! What can you expect!

    Overall will definitely dine there again but with a smaller crew and during non busy hours.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/10/2014

    Had a res for 2 at 1:00 p.m. on a Saturday.  Showed up at 12:30, seated right away at a long community table next to another couple.  Many spaces open on my right. Took the initiative and moved over a spot, immediately asked to move back because of a party that was coming in.

    Ordered the pork rinds, chipotle bloody mary with Axe Man (men?) beer back, and a Misto, buddy ordered the chicken gumbo w biscuit.  Misto and and chicken dish were fab. The bloody was okay, slightly watered-down tasting/weak, even though I was informed that the owner made it. The beer back was delish.

    We never got the pork rinds, one bloody was comped as recompense. Still...we never got the pork rinds.

    Nobody ever sat in the 12+ open seats to my left either.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/8/2014
    1 check-in

    We went to Avec one or two Chicago visits ago and really enjoyed it. So when we were suggested Publican for Sunday brunch yeah boy!!

    Thank goodness for the Palmer House's clout... They were able to get us a reservation at a time that worked!

    And the meal was terrific! Red wine poached eggs. A great take but better than original eggs Benedict, bacon that is mahvelous!

    We were lucky to be next to a trio that did a extensive 'tasting' of the menu so we received a gastronomical visual tour of a lot of the brunch menu. - they were kind enough to offer so e of their spicy pork rinds. Wow!

    A must go to!

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/27/2013

    Came for Sunday brunch...Man is it loud in there... i even considered texting back and forth w Mr. S bc my voice was getting hoarse from screaming :/ which is why I dont like communal seating..I had requested one of the pig pens when I made my reservation but that didn't happen lol

    Anyhow, food was alright but nothing to die for. I got the red wine poached eggs which were good, but again nothing spectacular. But honestly tho, can we talk money. $100 for brunch for two?!? That's just too much when I felt like it just wasn't worth it...

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/23/2014

    I've been to the publican 3x now. Twice for dinner and once for brunch. I really love this place. The food and service is fantastic. The wine and cocktails are yummy. The decor and layout is fun and relaxed. A must go, IMO.

  • 2.0 star rating
    1/26/2014

    Overrated, overpriced, rude service (the waiter rolled his eyes when we asked for more bread). Not for vegetarians.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/1/2014

    My BF and I came here during odd hours on a Saturday afternoon. They close briefly after their brunch hours to prepare for their dinner service. I can't comment on their food since we ended up eating across the street at their dell instead. We did came back to the Publican for some beers though. Service was awesome! The bartender recommended and even offered a taste of some great beers. The place was pretty empty since it was odd hours but I would love to come back for their food and more beers.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/31/2012
    2 check-ins

    I love The Publican. No doubt on my top ten, all time favorite restaurants list. I haven't had anything here that was not superbly crafted and surprisingly delicious. If you are a fan of charcuterie, this is your candy store.

    I've had the spicy pork rinds, a selection of oysters, steak tartare, sweetbreads, boudin blanc, pork pie, pork & foie gras terrine, head cheese, black pepper salumi, morteau sausage, various pickles, and maybe a few other things I can't recall. Do not fail to order the spicy pork rinds! These are not like any you've had before. Light as air.

    There is always a well curated selection of Belgian beers -- including my beloved Orval -- and local craft beers. Draught and bottles. There are also many great European imports.

    When the restaurant is full it is difficult to hold a conversation. There is little to dampen sound. Unless you're in one of the enclosed booths, you'll be elbow to elbow with your neighbor whether friend or stranger. You'll share communal bottles of water. So come prepared to be sociable. You'll have more fun that way. If your neighbor is especially friendly, you may end up sharing food.

    You will spend a lot of money, but not necessarily because the food is overpriced. The problem is you will keep ordering dishes.
    "Let's try something else."
    "Hey, we didn't try the sweetbreads yet."
    "We need more pork rinds to go with this beer."

    If you are a committed carnivore with no fear of offal delicacies, you must come to The Publican. You will not be disappointed.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/1/2014

    This place had it nailed... Everything was amazing.  Literally, from the pork rinds, the the porcetta - everything was on the money.

    We had dinner here with another couple and a buddy on a Saturday a few weeks ago.  Our reservations were for 9:00, we showed up a little early to grab a drink.  Around 9:15, the staff came to us and said "you can be seated at that communal section now, or there is a private table up front that just paid their bill, and should be up shortly."  We opted for the private table since I'm not a huge fan of the communal dining experience.  Turns out these people sat, and sat, and sat.... It was around 9:45, we had ordered some food at the table... The staff was checking on us the entire time, and at that point a different private table opened up and we were seated.  Our first dish started to come out so they just transferred it to our new table.

    From there, everything was perfect, waiter knew what he was doing, food was perfect (and they comped 3 appetizers for the waiting scenario, even though it wasn't their fault!).  We didn't walk out until around midnight because we were enjoying ourselves so much.

    Food
    Atmosphere
    Value  (after tip 80/person, ordered everything on the menu and drinks all night)
    Staff

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/19/2014

    Likely my fav. place in Chicago.  I have been 4 or 5 times and have never been let down.  The standup tables are a great last minute move if you don't have a reservation and the mussels are the best I have had in some time.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/30/2012
    6 check-ins

    I like this place a lot.  I went for dinner on a weeknight and I was back on that following Sunday for some damn tasty brunch.  What's not to like about this place?  Pork, seafood, and beer... you just can't go wrong with that combo.

    The place reminds me of a large beer hall, filled with long wooden communal tables, pub style cocktail tables, and a long bar with a lot of good beer on tap.  There's also these private booths with swinging wooden doors.

    Dinner was filled with a lot of pork and beer, my favorites of the night being this Blood Sausage w/ pistachio sauce and some Three Floyd's Zombie Dust.  That blood sausage was insanely good and I highly recommend it.  The Charcuterie plate was also delicious and that Head Cheese was pure porky goodness.

    My favorite meal here was had at Brunch and I've already made reservations for another Sunday.  If you don't want to end up waiting an hour to be seated, just hop on OpenTable.  So reasons why I love brunch here: insanely delicious bacon, great beer, really spicy bloody mary's, and just all around good food .  Probably the best Waffles I've had anywhere.  They're crisp yet airy and topped with that honey butter and jam... just perfect.  Even better is their Bacon.  I think they should be called Bacon Steaks on their menu, since these bad boys are thick thick cut.  Just order a plate for yourself and savor every last bite.  Spicy Pork Rinds, Frites w/ egg yolk, Breakfast Sausage... everything was delicious, especially the sausage.  They really know their sausages.  Can't wait to go back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/11/2013
    1 check-in
    Listed in Collecting Bibs

    I've had my eye on the Publican for awhile. In the past, I've tried to make brunch reservations but was always told that there were no more spots and the wait would take awhile, so we didn't bother. Well, this time we finally made it, and what do you know...it turns out that the Publican may be my favorite brunch spot in Chicago.

    Our group of five arrived for a 10:30am reservation on Saturday after a 10k race near Adler -- the restaurant was very obviously empty (I guess they just have very limited reservation spots available to make it seem more in demand? I should've tried visiting earlier then...). We decided to go family style and not order too many dishes since we already gorged ourselves once with post-race snacks.

    We ordered three dishes: maple ham french toast and peaches, blood sausage with shishito peppers, and a third dish I cannot remember. Each dish was unique, beautifully presented, and tasted delightful. We also got two side orders -- frites with a fried egg that was gooey and super tasty (who knew that oozy egg can transform ordinary fries into something amazing?) and maple syrup braised bacon which is to delicious to even know how to describe it. They also gave us a donut on the house which we split five ways, and that was a great way to end a fabulous meal.

    Everything, from the service to the decor (I love the paintings of the enormous pigs on the walls) was impeccable. The restroom with the communal hand wash is damn cool. Eating here made me so happy and so sad at the same time. Happy because everything was great, sad because I don't live in the area more and can't dine here whenever I wish :'(

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/16/2014

    Great buzz, great menu, great food. Defines the food scene in Chicago, low key and smacks you in the face with bold flavours. The octopus we had here is still my favourite octopus dish to date. Great oysters and such an interesting choice of options of oyster. Good beer as well. I hate 'egg on the top' for the sake of it, and the 'bacon with everything' attitude bores me stupid...but fries with something as simple as a fried egg on top was simply perfect.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/5/2013
    1 check-in

    (Note: I'm reviewing the Sunday brunch menu.)  

    The Publican really seems to have it all - a personality, great food, awesome drinks and smart decor.  It's one of my favorite restaurants that I really want to come back to the next time I'm in Chicago and something I'd highly recommend to any other New American brunch lovers.  

    The brunch menu has a lot of various dishes to try.  I had the red wine poached eggs as my main entree.  It's an absolutely fascinating dish which, as the name implies, has a rosy flavor that mixes in perfectly with the provided bread.  The bacon as well comes out in absolutely huge pieces in terms of width and is more tender than most bacon pieces out there.  It reminds me almost of a Korean pork BBQ.  A few other great entrees our table ordered were the steak, pork breakfast entree, and shirmp/potatoes which all got good thumbs-up.  The only disappointment was really the sticky bun which came out fairly plain and the pub pretzel was okay (although the pimento cheese it came with is almost worth the price of admission to try.) Cost will be around $10-$25 depending on the dish.  

    Also, if you're a good drinker, you'll appreciate the drink menu as well.  I'm not a big bloody mary fan but with a kick of chipotle and a mix of huge veggies inside like a pickle and green beans, it's something that everyone at the table raved about.  Mix that with beer (I had a Left Milk Stout which was smooth/delicious), mimosas and more for a good long list.  

    The decor is fun and memorable with a Western European atmosphere mixed with a farmhouse in which there are communal tables, tables that look like stalls and other tables with interesting stands.  Long rows of hanging round lights litter the ceiling, reminiscent of the LACMA lights standing upside down and the servers all wear unique shirts that are like jerseys with the Publican name on the front and their last names on the back.  Even better, they're all friendly, funny and helpful.  

    The Publican is a great restaurant all-around and a terrific experience.  Cheers Publican!

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/14/2014

    Good and super busy on a rainy Tuesday night. The whole chicken was surprisingly delicious and juicy. Would skip the ribs as they were too fatty so wouldn't order that again. Blackfish is delicious and has a nice crispy skin. Yellowtail and gyro sausage were okay. White fish was really good too, so was the acorn squash. Skip the Brussels  sprouts, not worth it.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/24/2013
    1 check-in

    Here's an all around experience.  So clearly the 1,000+ reviews that have averaged out to 4 stars must mean something... and that something is finger lickin GOOD.

    Nice enough to be considered higher end fare, but without the often accompanied pretense.  Friendly wait staff don't try to oversell you -- honest and hard working, the plates come out in perfect intervals.  

    My colleagues and I were in from New York City -- we eat out a lot so lets just say our expectations are always high.  I guess we are foodies, but like hipsters, I don't want to self proscribe.  

    The Halibut Ceviche was delicious.  The Arctic Char was very interesting, great contrast with a bitter salty mushroom.  The beef heart was just enough iron as contrasted with the pickled radish salsa-type accompaniment that it wasn't overpowering.  The goose breast was, in terms of texture, a delight with the crispy outside and the pine nuts on top.  The wine chosen by our waiter, a 2009 Julius Wasem & Sohne Spatburgunder was perfect for pairing and parching our thirst.  The oyster selection was cross country and tasty... overall amazing dishes...

    BUT THE MOST FINGER LICKIN HEAD ROLLIN HOOTIN AND HOLLERING BEST DISHES hands down were the Pork Belly (holy shiz, amazing with aioli, potatoes and clams) and the Bread Pudding (banana BRIOCHE with a walnut syrupy topping... nom).  We actually ended with these and, thinking it couldn't get better, were blown away.  I mean, super duper blown away.  We were bleeding compliments and the ladies I was with kept repeating, "this is AMAZING" after each bite.  Dayum!

    We left thinking AH HAH!  This is what those Iron Chef judges are describing when they eat one of those meals that makes you wonder, "Can food really cause a mouth-gasm?"  Short answer, yes, mouth-gasms, although rare worldwide, do occur at a higher-than-normal frequency in this particular 5 star establishment.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 3.0 star rating
    5/17/2014

    Pros: ambiance, food quality, serious about beer
    cons: overpriced
    Overall: Publican has it's time and place.  It's good and recommended, but with the options in the area (west loop) it might be awhile before we're back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/30/2013

    I think this place deserves 5 stars with the execution of the dishes we've tasted.

    We tried:
    - Hashbrown: buttery but well executed.  Very rich flavor
    - Salmon lox: greens, bagel, cream sauce and smoked salmon harmonized very well
    - maine lobster: Honestly my taste bud wasn't sophisticated enough for the lobster, but the egg was executed perfectly.  Puffy, filling and not greasy at all.
    - Maple syrup-ed bacon: soft as hell.  Comparable to David Chang's pork belly (just like what Kahan and Chang were for the Jame Beard Award).

    Overall, it was a great experience.

  • 2.0 star rating
    12/8/2013

    Seriously, either we just went on an off night or yelp reviewers are crazy!  We had reservations for weeks for my birthday.  We show up and they seat us close to the door on an 18 degree night, which meant that it was freezing most of the night.

    Service - The waitress was absolutely horrible.  She hardly came around and we waited for over 10 minutes to get her attention to get her over to get another round of drinks.  By the time we got the drink menu, we were ready to leave.  Terrible service.

    Food - We ordered four oysters.  Two of them were awesome (Sea Cow).  The other two were not good.  Then we got the fried walleye. First, they did not tell us that the fried cheese was in the middle of the plate.  Second, they basically layered it in tarter sauce.  I hated it, my wife did love it.  We also ordered the sweet potatoes.  They were pretty bad - basically they added something to make them sweeter.  Not good.  Finally, we ordered the Porchetta.  It was TERRIBLE.  I mean, it was overcooked and was overly spiced.   When paired with the apples, it did help neutralize the meat, but come on - how does a place that is known for their meat, overcook the meat?

    Honestly, I had really high expectations. I would never go back.  For that kind of money, there are many other better restaurants.  And basically, the service leaves so much to be desired, I cannot imagine ever returning.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/8/2014

    If your religion restricts pork than this is your purgatory... Long wooden tables tops... Shared w/ perfect strangers/ and friends... Another favorite!

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/5/2014 Updated review

    Fantastic brunch menu -- somewhat limited -- but the quality was and is excellent.  They offer brunch on Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm. The lox was fresh, flavorful and delectable. It was served with asparagus, deviled eggs and potato bread. My rating for this is five stars. Service was a bit "off" today, so this is the reason for my 4-star rating. Plating is worthy of five stars. The biscuit and gumbo that my husband had was outstanding. He was comparing it to something he had in Louisiana, so his final rating was four stars. Their price-point is more reasonable for brunch than dinner.

    4.0 star rating
    5/17/2014 Previous review
    We started with the Chef's Selection which included three different cheeses: Délice De Bourgogne… Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    10/6/2013

    I've been over to Publican Quality Meats a few times for a quick sandwich and was always pretty impressed, however this was my first time at The Publican and I expected a lot. They delivered.

    We got in at 10:30 for Saturday brunch. I admit that breakfast is probably my least favorite meal and type of food (sacrilege, I know, I know), and this place blew me away. It was a crowded as expected Saturday morning, and being that we had no reservations, we were able to get a seat at the bar, which was funny as we had no intention of consuming alcohol. The server was somewhat of a hipster type, but not douchey at all. It was a friendly, non-pretentious, treat you like a good friend type of atmosphere. The bottomless coffee was excellent (Intelligenstia, of course, duh, why wouldn't it be), and my cup was never empty.

    On to the food. I started with the obligatory Publican bacon with the maple glaze. Holy shit, easily the best bacon ever. It was more like thick slices of pork belly, perfectly cured and fried, and coated with this amazing maple syrup glaze. I see what everyone is talking about. My girlfriend ended up with some sort of french toast dish with excellent homemade breakfast sausage that resembled a very mild Polish. The taste I had was really good, and that says a lot considering I am not a big fan of french toast. I had the blood sausage. Unbelievable. I've had quite a bit of blood sausage and this was by far the best I have ever tried. It went well with the cranberry beans, sunny side up egg, banana peppers, and salsa verde. The mix of the flavors in the runoff juice on my plate was fantastic. I couldn't resist stealing some of my girlfriends breakfast sausage just to smear in it.

    Some people talk about the prices. For the high quality of the food, I felt it was reasonable. I cannot wait for the chance to eat here again. Not many places deserve 5 stars, but Publican lives up to the hype.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/9/2014

    Let me just start by saying we are about as far from the target demographic of Publican diners as you can get. Why you ask? For starters, I'm a vegetarian, and if the gargantuan portraits of swine that line the walls are any indication, this place dabbles heavily in meat-centric fare, with a heavy emphasis on all things hog. Secondly, the group I was with had nary an adventurous eater in the bunch, though my dad does get an honorable mention for at least dabbling in some of the more out-of-the-box fare.

    The layout of the restaurant has long tables in the center of the room where diners are seated communal style, with booths lining the perimeter (done in the style of a pen;  like I said, the swine theme abounds)...On a busy Saturday, we arrived at 8pm for our reservation, but our table wasn't ready, so we went to the bar area to have a round of drinks. Within 15 minutes, we were seated and greeted by our server. He explained the menu- this is done family style, though it is a bit confusing in terms of how large each plate is/how much food is necessary for a given group. It seems like typical diners order a good half dozen or more plates for a group of four. We ordered a handful of plates ourselves, with the main crux being vegetarian dishes (the chef even has a vegetarian special where they create a trio of veggie delights). This was one of the larger plates, along with the charcuterie plate (a large plate of several meat offerings, including sausages and meat pies). We ordered most of the vegetarian offerings, the best being the bbq carrots (incredibly flavorful with a spicy kick) and the strawberries, which were ridiculously tasty with a lively balsamic reduction. We finished by splitting the angel food cake dessert, a recent addition to the menu.

    Beyond being a cool spot, the service is what truly garners Publican 5 stars. While many other trendy restaurants with inventive menus would have been quick to dismiss a group like ours that was so clearly out of our element, our server patiently helped us navigate through the menu and dining experience, all the while maintaining a healthy dose of humor. Bonus points to the adorable food runner who helped on our table as well- he definitely gave us some great laughs and added to the overall experience.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/9/2013

    Loved the food, decor, and vibe at the Publican.  The area around the Publican was so strange.  I am not from Chicago so maybe I'm missing something, but it was essentially a wasteland just a few train stops from the Loop.  

    The lady and I got the pork (belly) and beans and the focaccia with roasted tomatoes.  The pork and beans were absolutely delicious with white beans, cheese, and a over easy fried egg on top.  The spicy sauce made my day.  Unfortunately we didn't get the bacon like a lot of people suggest, but we enjoyed our meal thoroughly.  The service was less than stellar as our waitress appeared in a rush the whole time.  The coffee was really good, too.  Will definitely be back if I visit Chicago again.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/16/2014
    1 check-in

    Ah yes, the Publican. I have been chomping at the bit to try this spot since I attended Randolph St. Fest and tried the Porchetta sandwich they had at their stand.
    I attended about two months ago for my birthday with my family to eat as much as I possibly could (I didn't even have any drinks, just water food over alcohol).
    We went on a sunday in the early evening where we were the first people there. They seated us at one of the side tables (non-communal) and found it to be a bit cramped, but nothing worth complaining about. We all loved the atmosphere and decor and our waiter was good, not great.

    THE GRUB: So we tried to order a bit of everything since we (I) wanted to try the whole menu. We sided on these dishes to try:

    1. Full Charcuterie plate - (B+) Good selection of meats and spreads, also some nuts n burriez, nice way to start the meal.
    2. Cheese plate - (B-) A nice selection of cow/goat cheeses that proved a good paring with the Charcuterie and the honey spread that came with it, but nothing to blow doors down.
    3. Ceviche - (F) Definitely the weakest part of the meal. It was outrageously priced for what you receive (which was not the case with the other dishes). The fish was not flavorful at all and there was barely enough to have four small bites. Fail.
    4. Chicken Liver Pate w/ blueberry sauce - (A)  Good God this was tasty. My favorite part of the meal, the blueberry sauce put on top of the pate was the perfect cut for the richness of the plate. The crostinis were fantastic that came with the dish and when we ordered extra bread, they brought us some with no charge or wait.
    5. Porchetta plate - (C+) This was good, but sadly not great like the sandwich I had before. It was very fatty, like even for me and I rarely give a s*** about an overly fatty dish, but it detracted from the dish due to the texture. The meat was juicy and tender, but a bit of a let down.
    6. Pork Belly - (B) This dish was the least fatty of the choices I expected to be chubbish. The pork fell apart (in a good way) and was well-seasoned. Darn good.
    7. Tuna (blanking on further details) - (A-) Fantastic. Second best part of the meal. No let down with the seafood here.
    8. Dry-aged Duck Breast - (B+) - The actual richest dish we had, this was a spicy greasy collaboration that worked for my father and me, but not for the ladies we were with. I liked it a lot and the spice helped cut the fat a bit, but good lord it was super rich. it may have been a mistake to order this after the Porchetta and Pate lol

    Overall it was a great experience with good service and food. Pate Pate Pate and you will be fine.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/17/2015

    Went there for a delicious brunch with the GF.  We made reservations and were seated immediately.  Next thing I know there are 2 cups of coffee in front of me accomanpanied by a friendly laid-back attentive waiter.  Excellent all around

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/2/2013

    Mmmmmmmmmmeaty goodness.

    I am pleased to be reviewing this place up to the standards that my Yelping peers have.  Each time I have been, now 5 times in total, I have loved what I have eaten.  I go expecting to spend a little money, and come out feeling terrifically full of pounds of pork and rich foods.  Yum, they deliver (and with great service).

    I feel that this place is a must visit for anyone.  You can go there in jeans, you can go there in a suit and both will fit in nicely.  There are some bar tables, many community tables, and some unique stalls for booth's - request one when you make your reservation if you have 4 people!  

    The service has always been top notch- everything from the butcher 'costume' on the staff to their willingness to serve makes it a great dining experience.  The dishes are all meant to be shared, and why wouldn't you want to?  These things inspire conversation and shared joy with your closest table mates.  This place certainly is known for their pork- but don't leave out their veggie sides or maybe the roasted chicken as wonderful additions to your meal.  Literally everything I have gotten here has been tasty, the portions have been exactly as described... and never have we had a bad experience.  

    I endorse this place, boom.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/15/2014

    The food here was outstanding!  To begin with, the oysters were well-selected by the chef and the charcuterie platter had a mix of exquisite flavors (the half is a must to get a sampling of house made meats).  When we moved on to the main meal, the country ribs were truly incredible.  A little rare for pork, but that only made them more tender and fantastic, with a charbroiled flavor and perfect marinade to round off the meat flavor.

    The pork belly deserves its own paragraph...and maybe its own religious following.  It was meaty, but yet not too lean to have a touch of delectable gristle, and was marinated in a mixture that had a hint of sweetness and smokiness to it that was absolutely amazing.  We literally ate it with our heads alternating between shaking in disbelief and being down on the table because our minds were blown by the flavors and texture.  On a trip where we seemed to consume a lot of pork, prepared various ways, this was hands down the best part of any meal in Chicago.  It was so good in fact, that when the dessert menu came, we skipped the dessert and had, well, another pork belly platter (it should be noted that the friendly waitress and helpful staff were kind enough not to judge our questionable sanity when we put in this additional order).  I quake to think that I may never consume meat this good again, at least until the next time I hop a plane to go get some more.

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/12/2014

    We were excited for our reservation at The Publican. Unfortunately  we weren't very impressed. We sat family  style at a long table with a bunch of strangers while we sat across  from each other. Not alot of elbow room and very loud. The food was okay, I wasn't very impressed with the pork or country ribs. The vegetable dishes were good, so were the pork rinds and our dessert selection of bread pudding was very good.

    It's a cool idea, but I probably would have had a better experience in their private booth. And they say the menu changes daily so if i were to go again I would probably get seafood the next time.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/23/2014

    Loud but not obnoxious, trendy and delicious. The food was awesome and I would highly recommend this place. Pork rinds were ok but the main dishes were simple the best. We were a large party of 7 but somehow they paced our ability to eat the plates. When the check came were very surprised at the price. This is a must see venue for Chicago.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/8/2014

    This place is great! We had a decent size group of coworkers and we had a table to ourselves which was nice. We pretty much ordered one of everything including the dessert menu. I really cant complain about this place. It wasnt terribly overpriced and everything was delicious. Our waiter was awesome and helping us select beer and wine. I will be back for brunch because I have to try the BACON ive seen in the pictures!

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/2/2015

    good place, though lower than my expectation.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/24/2014

    The biggest beer selection ever!!! I love everything about this place. They have good information about where your food and drinks come from. And fries in lard yummm

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/5/2013

    Sadly, I am reaching to give this place 3 stars.

    The two themes are MEAT and hoppy beer.  That is what got me in the door.  We made reservations and the place was roughly 1/5 full when we were sat in the middle of the community style seating with NO ONE else at our table.  They could have easily put us at the end where it would have been much more comfortable, as we asked in our reservation, but nope.  if they would remove 4 seats from each table, it would be MUCH better.  Insist on a booth because once your food starts coming out, there is very little room for it in front and around you.  

    We had Chef's Selection oysters that were good but a far cry from the best I've ever had.  The spicy pork rinds and the pork belly were delicious.  The sweetbreads, little gem salad and duck breast were good but still nothing to write home about.  

    The servers were very knowledgeable and attentive though, and that is what earned them the third star in the end.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/8/2014

    I heard about this place and was very, very excited to go. Went for Brunch and was not disappointed.

    The restaurant is in a pretty cool place, kind of meat packing area. The decor was clean, with long wooden tables and booths that were enclosed by barn doors of some sorts. Interesting to say the least. I ordered a b=Bloody Mary with a small Wisconsin beer and waited for a spot to open up.

    Yes, as mentioned before in other posts there is a lot of communal seating. Think eating in Italy out on the farm. Great way to meet people, talk, enjoy food together. Basically how it should be enjoyed. I asked the waitress what she recommended and went with the lobster scrambled eggs. I also ordered an apple cider donut and eventually a pretzel.

    1) Lobster Scrambled Eggs - Eggs were fluffy and moist. Lobster wasn't overloaded, but enough that you were eating some and not having it in name only. The toast had a slight char to it which would be a negative normally, but was a wonderful positive with this meal. The taste of the toast mixed perfectly with the richness of the lobster and texture of the eggs. I ate every bite of the meal and could have had more.

    2) Apple Cider Donut - This thing was great. Very light, airy. The glaze was just right, not too sweet. You could taste the apple cider throughout the donut. I didn't get coffee, but if I did I would have had to ordered another one of these suckers.

    3) Pretzel - Wow. Man, I loved this sucker. Being in Philly you kind of have to have a soft spot for pretzels. This thing was absolutely perfect. Just enough salt, perfect size, the fresh cheese spread had enough red pepper to make it spicy, but not take away from the cheddar taste.  So good.

    So in conclusion, I will be back to this place. It was great, food was wonderful and I met some nice people sitting next to me that recommended my new favorite pizza place in Chi-town.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/7/2013

    I'm glad there was no wait! I like the vibe and decor of this resto. We sat in a booth that has doors, so it's kinda cute and weird at the same time lol. The menu is very limited and I believe it changes constantly. We all ordered different things so that we could try everything. We had the omelette, which was rather plain. The publican tartine, which was tasty. I ordered the castelvetrano olice focaccia and that was not bad. My favorite was the grilled cotechino! It was very flavorful. We devoured that dish pretty fast. Their maple bacon app was also very good. Not your average crunchy bacon, but thick and fatty! I like their hand washing station! They provide soap and lotion from malin and goetz!

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/4/2014

    Great food for brunch or dinner. The tables are community tables so you'll need to be comfortable sitting with other people.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/27/2012

    I don't even know where to begin. The Publican and everything about it, overwhelms me with happiness. I've been here 4 times and each time keeps getting better and better....and I keep getting more and more adventurous in what I try. ((I'm so proud of my non-adventurous self!!))

    Must Trys -
    - The pork rinds. I've learned this is what REAL pork rinds are suppose to taste like...not that crap out of a bag.
    - Taste of 3 hams - serrano, la quercia, and benton country? Yes, please! And make that a double order.
    - Farm chicken - the 1/2 order with the summer sausage and frites.
    - Daily pickles - I'm a sucker for pickled veggies. yum.
    - Desert - Whatever they have - try it. You won't regret it. I ate the BEST bread pudding of my life at the Publican. Nothing has compared since.

    I've had a variety of other sausages, ribs, and pork dishes. None of them I didn't like. My favorites happen to be the vegetable dishes. The way the vegetables are paired with other foods, spices, and flavors just amazes me. My favorite was the parmesan, roasted cauliflower to DIE for. Literally.  

    I promised myself that after my first dining experience here that if I was going to go to the Publican, I was going to try something I normally wouldn't. As a non-seafood eater, I have tried the scallops and the mussels. Both of them delicious. ((I can't believe I just said that!!)) I've also tried the duck heart & blood sausage. Both which I thought I would instantly vomit up - and both of them I really enjoyed. Especially the duck heart- who knew?!? Clearly this isn't the place that serves Coors Light, so I usually will branch out and try a new beer or two as well.

    The atmosphere is definitely fun, but not a great place for an intimate date. I was skeptical about communal table, but found it really made the atmosphere much more lively. Plus, I could easily glance over to see what other diners were ordering without having to do that creepy stare. ((You know exactly which one I'm talking about)) Plus, most of the people are quite friendly and engage in conversation around the food. Afterall, there's quite a bit to talk about!

    Making the trek to the Publican from the burbs is well worth it. It's on my to-do list to get up at the crack and make my way downtown to have breakfast there. I've heard nothing but spectacular things about their Sunday brunch and Afternoon menus as well.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/16/2014

    I went with my wife for Valentine's Day. Very interesting interior. We sat in one of the "penned" in booths, which is an interesting touch. The waiters were very helpful with our food choices.
    We had the Country Ham, Pork Belly and Pork Rinds. All excellent. It was served family style so we ended up getting about 5 dishes. I'd say this is a once a year type of place.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/31/2014

    We made reservations to this place about a month ahead of time and took my brother there when he came in from out of town.  

    First off, I have to say that because I'm 7 months pregnant, I was not able to enjoy the beer menu nor the raw bar or hams, and cannot speak about them firsthand.  However, the selection seemed excellent!  Looking forward to going back for those once my food/beverage restrictions are no more.

    Here's what we ordered for the 3 of us.  

    Spicy Pork Rinds: don't be fooled, these aren't your average gas station pork rinds.  These people know what they're doing.  Definitely memorable, and only $5.  And they aren't spicy--they're spicy like the way Doritos are spicy, which is how my brother described it.  

    Beets: a surprising mix of sweet beets, cinnamon, yogurt, and walnuts.  I never would have thought to put those together, but they worked really well.  I'm always dismissive of vegetable dishes, but it was surprisingly delicious.

    Broccoli: with bacon, how can you go wrong?  I liked how they charred the broccoli so it brought out some of that good green flavor, and the bread crumbs gave the dish a lovely crunch.

    Cuttlefish Ink Pasta with Clams: Hands down one of the best pasta dishes I'd ever had!  The ink pasta was not too overpowering--just the perfect amount of oceany flavor.  The clams were juicy and heavenly.  

    Scallops: Perfectly cooked, came in a pea sauce that was light and complemented the scallops well.  The dish wasn't anything particularly special though.

    Porchetta: I wasn't very impressed with the porchetta, honestly.  It had good flavor, but it was very tough.  Given that porchetta is usually supposed to be cooked for a long time over low heat to saturate the flavors together, I thought it would be fall-apart delicious.  But there were some pieces my knife couldn't even cut.  The flavor was excellent, but the texture was quite a bit more chewy than I would have liked.

    Suckling pig: I had the opposite issue with the suckling pig.  While the meat was tender, the overly salty sweet sauce overpowered the flavor of the pig.  The sauce was a kind of Asian-inspired gingery type sauce, and it was so strong that you couldn't taste that tender, almost sweet flavor that sucking pigs are supposed to have.  Not a bad dish by any means, but it could use a little more fine tuning in the sauce to pig ratio.  Excellent texture, though.  

    Sticky date cake: The cake itself was excellent, the vanilla ice cream that came with it was a little too sweet.  

    ---------
    The atmosphere was definitely loud, but a good kind of loud.  Like you're at a big country pig roast.  And the service was nice.  It's the kind of place that fills your glass the minute you take a sip of water (okay, slightly annoying, but at least they're attentive) and they come fold your napkin into a neat square when you get up to go to the bathroom.  Our server was great, though I think her serving size recommendations were a little inflated--we probably could have done without one of the vegetable dishes, as we were originally going to do before she recommended we add another dish.  

    Overall, a very enjoyable experience, though for a meat/pork restaurant, I expected a little more from the pork dishes.  I would definitely dine here again, however, and I'd love to try their oysters and the ham/cheese plate.

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/14/2014
    1 check-in

    Dined here back in September 2013.  Was really looking forward to dinner here after reading all the great reviews and seeing Publican Quality Meats on Bizarre Foods, but I was a bit underwhelmed.  The spicy pork rinds, dusted with spicy cheddar cheese, were pretty good.  The mussels were the best thing I tried all night.  I almost didn't want to let them take the bowl back until I had sopped up every drop of the leftover delicious broth.  The suckling pig was just okay.  Service was fast, and we enjoyed the communal style dining as it made it easier to check out what my neighbors were eating, something my gf (now wife) loves to do.  Cool hip ambiance.  Very loud.  Very dim.  I'd love to come back and try the brunch someday.

  • 2.0 star rating
    1/4/2013

    This place gets worse and worse each time I come.  I guess I'm just not that in to specialty, frou frou meats and seafood.  I'll run down my experience for you.

    Restaurant

    Pros: The atmosphere of this restaurant is really nice.  Not too bright, lots of natural wood and big lamps make this a really nice scene.  The din of the room would bother me normally somewhere else, but it's actually kind of pleasant here to hear everyone talking and enjoying themselves.  The bathroom is also really awesome.  It's a weird, open concept with individual rooms for stalls and a shared sink in the middle.  Tres European.

    Cons: I do not like sharing a table with strangers.  I know that is why some people like this restaurant, it's all "cutting-edge" and "old English" but I could do without hearing the inane conversation from the douchebags immediately to my right.  The standing bar is also too much.  This place is just not good enough for me to stand around for who knows how long waiting for a table if I don't have a reservation.  Especially with drinks at these prices.

    Food

    Pros: The pork rinds are excellent.  The plates are designed to be shared, which is cool for your group.  I like ordering a bunch of stuff and sharing with everyone at the table.  The frites with the egg are good, but ask for salt.  Cheese plate?  Delish.

    Cons: Everything is insanely heavy.  Meats and stuff are cool, but I really could use a light salad as an in-between course to take some of the edge off the super fatty, heavy meat.  We ordered three salads and each one came with something fried, cooked or super salty.  Blech.  I just wanted something to cleanse my palette.  I also think the meat thing gets old fast.  I've been here four times and each time I'm more and more disappointed with the menu.  

    Service

    Pros: Knowledgeable server, made beer-pairing suggestions during our meal.  Spent time explaining the meal to us and told us what everything was when our food was brought to the table.

    Cons: Super slow.  I know this place was busy, but our server was MIA a couple of times during the evening.  We didn't even get to place a drink order for 10 minutes after we sat down.  We weren't even acknowledged.  Plus we had the idiots right next to us being annoying.  

    Overall, this place is highly overrated.  The Publican is cool the first time you go, but this concept gets old and stale really quickly.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/17/2014
    1 check-in
    Listed in Yelp 100 Challenge

    Very busy restaurant!  That's a reflection of how delicious their food is. I love their decoration.  The night I dined there,  they were sold out of the single dish that motivated me to dine there,  so sad.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/23/2014

    We had a great time at Publican.  Very good service and a cool atmosphere.  They have a really great beer list and a unique seating system.  You can sit at your own table or next to other diners at the communal tables.  The menu items are very unique as well and its a good opportunity to try things you have never had.  This is a good place for a quick appetizer or a full meal.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/9/2014

    I was in town for a business trip and our hosts selected this as the spot for a fun team dinner. It turned out to be a great selection!  The decor is unique - you sit at huge community tables...the booths looked cool too, with doors that enclosed them.
    They server told us that everything was served family style, which I think always makes a big group outing more fun. The beer and wine menu is enormous and the waiter helped me make a good beer choice. We selected a variety of items off of the fish, meat and vegetable areas of the menu.  Everything was great!  Some of my favorites: fried cauilflower, brussels sprouts, and the scallops. I had the chocolate cheesecake for dessert and it was outstanding!
    Overall, a great choice for our outing!

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/4/2013

    They could serve dog food in this joint and I'd still probably give it three stars.

    The atmosphere is simply awesome. I can see why a lot of Yelpers cut stars for loudness or crowds, but just like any place/person/experience, there's the right time for everything. We came as a group of six friends that hadn't seen each other for a while and it was perfect. I loved the communal seating, the open kitchen, the lighting, the 'buzz' that seemed to pick everyone up. Truly a great place to eat well and kick back with great friends. So we're at three stars from just walking in the door.

    Add a star for service. We had reservations on Saturday night at 9.30 and they couldn't seat us right away. When they did, our server didn't show up for 20 minutes or so. Sounds like a horror story right? Wrong. Like I said, we were a bunch of friends enjoying our company and hardly noticed. When the server and Maitr d' did make it free they were so apologetic. They brought a plate of seasonal hams, a plate of frites and a first round of drinks for us gratis to 'make things right'. Like I said, we hardly noticed, let alone complain, so this was beyond accommodating in our book. They both proceeded to provide amazing but not smothering service for the rest of the night. Truly professionals in knowledge and tact.

    Add another couple stars for food -- wait, wha? Five's the limit? Damn. The six of us each ordered a small plate and a more shareable plate and passed them around, so we got just about half the menu. Stand outs: were the amazing fresh oysters -- great selection; the beef tongue was so flavorful and tender; the suckling pig just fell apart; and the mussels were some of the best I ever had.

    Honestly, if you don't like the food at Publican, you don't like food. Amazing quality, well prepared. Reasonable price for such a wonderful experience. And an atmosphere that blows you away. A clear five star in my book.

  • 2.0 star rating
    9/1/2014

    I really don't get what the hype is all about. I've been here twice - once for dinner on a Friday night and once for Sunday brunch. Neither time was the food as awesome and amazing as I've heard and read. It wasn't terrible by any means, but for the money and all the awesome reviews, I guess I expected much more. There's so many awesome restaurants in the West Loop, and this one just doesn't cut it. Definitely not going back.

  • 1.0 star rating
    12/9/2013

    First I will start with the positives.  The food is good and has flavor.

    The negatives:  the service is a joke.  They lost our reservation only to find it ten minutes later under the exact same name that we spelled out to them multiple times.
    Additionally, We had to wait for our table for twenty minutes when the place was absolutely dead. (and had a reservation)

    Hostess acted similar to the ladies working at a Tiffany's or Niemans.  Enough said.

    Get over yourself "Publican" because you are not that good to treat your patrons with such subpar service.

    Btw:  Your James Beard Awards are not for your food!

    A lot of Flash, and absolutely no substance.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/31/2014

    Good service. The pork rinds were done well. The duck confit was a bit on the salty side. Must try the bacon and pork shoulder. Liked the communal style dining.
    Great place for a group brunch.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/13/2013
    1 check-in

    The Best Brunch I've Ever Eaten.

    Yes, I said it.  I'm a breakfast guy.  I pride myself in the love of everything egg, sausage, bacon, pork, pancake, whatever.  I love it.  It's my favorite meal and being from the south, I've have plenty of exposure to great breakfasts.

    My wife and I made reservations via OpenTable to ensure we could stay on schedule and knock out as much of Chicago while we were there.  We grabbed a reservation at opening time and thought we'd have the bright idea of going early and seeing the neighborhood.  Turns out it's in the heart of the meatpacking district so there really was not much to see.  Our cabbie dropped us off in the rain and we were stuck there early.  Don't do that.  

    Once they opened, we were seated and the fantasticness began!  Excellent brunch drinks!  My wife had the bloody mary and I had a drink that featured an egg and some rum.  Sounded odd but it was the best brunch drink I've ever had.  I then had the Porchetta with Eggs and she had Eggs Duo.  Both were insanely good.  Make sure you get over easy eggs because the yolk with the pork and the yolk with the cornbread are perfect combos.  The other addition was the bacon.  I know you've seen it if you are still reading this.  It's even better than what you see in pictures.  If you like good porky pork belly, you'll love this.  Adding their syrup only makes it that much better.

    I absolutely can't wait to go back.  It was oh so good.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/29/2014

    I made a reservation for brunch for my group of 3 (we were all visiting from out of town). We arrived and was promptly seated and served. The food was just incredible. Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious. Even the bacon and hash brown sides tasted marvelous. For the 3 of us, the total came up to around $115, and it was well worth it. Sort of glad that I don't live anywhere near this establishment or I'd be really poor.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/11/2014

    Good selection of food, awesome for groups. Tasty but not as far up there as girl and the goat or purple pig.

  • 3.0 star rating
    11/19/2013

    Whoa Communal Seating! Ok, so this is partly my fault and I will accept SOME responsibility. My best friend had just arrived in town from VA and we had loads to catch up on. We had a 7PM reservation on a Thursday.

    We arrived and the restaurant had a decent crowd, but not overly crowded. We were ushered to the back corner of the restaurant near the the kitchen and an exit door for staff. We were seated at the corner of the table next to some ladies who had sprawled out as if they were in their own private booth. We took our seat and began to peruse the menu.

    Our waitress, Mary was friendly and explained that she would let us know if we were ordering too much or not enough food. We selected a bottle of wine and she left us to make our decisions. We selected mussels, octopus, half order of serrano and sweet potatoes. Mary staggered each of the dishes so they didn't all hit our tiny corner of the table all at once.

    The mussels were good, but didn't blow either of us away. The serrano was delectable, as to be expected. We both enjoyed the octopus. The sweet potatoes were huge and sweet enough to serve as dessert. We were content.

    Ok, so why the three stars? The back door was used throughout our meal and just an FYI it's cold outside. Every time the door was opened a cold draft hit our end of the table and trust me that doesn't make for an enjoyable dining experience. I would understand if there were no other open seats in the restaurant, some sucker has to sit there, but come on. Even as we left the restaurant there were open seats throughout.

    The other deduction of a star may not be within the restaurants control, but as I said, if there are other open seats available why stack us all on top of each other - especially those who thought enough to make a reservation in advance. The group of ladies (that I had mentioned earlier in the review) that had sprawled out were either, not familiar with communal seating or they simply had no regard for personal space. I didn't think that any of our conversations were that fascinating, but apparently they were a lot more interesting than what the group of four had to say. Seriously, 80% of our meal was spent with two of the group of four ladies continuously looking over as if we asked them to join us. My friend nor I could figure it out, but it was what it was and unfortunately, kept us from being able to fully experience the amazing meal so many rant about. Maybe next time.

  • 2.0 star rating
    4/26/2014
    1 check-in

    The food is sold out, waited an hour for table. Shitty food. Cross between Cracker Barrel and high end.  Doesn't know what they want to be. Overuse of vinegar in everything. Drinks in glasses that warm the delights.  Bad.  Very bad.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/22/2012
    1 check-in

    I'm a believer!!!!! Went to Chicago somewhat skeptical on the reputation for the high quality of food in the windy city.  Publican was oh so special!
    Went for brunch, had to have the red wine poached eggs, hash brown and bacon.  I try to hit baseline staples on my first visit and branch out to different items on subsequent visits.  Not gonna happen at the Publican!!!!  Any future visit to the Chicago will include a visit to Publican and the exact order of my first visit!!!!!
    Red wine poached eggs are the best version of "Benedict" I have ever tasted.  Sorry Balthazar's and Moo, These have everything in spades.
    Hash Browns...... Amazing !!!! Crispy and savory ( they are fried in rendered beef fat) it sets them far apart from the rest.

    THE BACON!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Bacon .... " Oh the humanity " !!!!!  The bacon , oh the bacon.... Did I mention the Bacon?

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/14/2014
    1 check-in

    I'm rating a four but I was a little disappointed with my first visit to the Publican. The food was undoubtedly amazing and the only saving grace for my review! We ordered a charcuterie plate which was a perfect blend for the palate, the sauces however I didn't find to match with the meat styles. Sadly we didn't get a chance to really savor all the different styles and flavors because our next plates including veggies and main course were rushed to our table. I found the timing to be really inappropriate. Everything seemed very rushed from the time we were seated to the bill, and with such flavors at the publican delivers, ample time should be given to enjoy and savor. For dinner we had the grilled carrots, shrimp and grits and tuna. All had such amazing flavor and texture. Dessert was the panna cotta and coconut milk sorbet , but were amazing. The food is phenomenal, just wish the service would have not been so rushed. On a Sunday night the restaurant was not swamped, there was no need .

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 4.0 star rating
    7/23/2014

    went with a group of six friends for dinner, which was certainly no problem -- really, this is an ideal group setting, not for those seeking romance and solitude.  reservations were a plus, but they are typically booked a couple of weeks ahead -- hotel concierge helped.

    space has the feeling of a California modernist beer hall -- loud, gregarious, communal seating except a few "booths" and outside tables.  it added to the experience.  a beer-centered drinks menu, with a wide selection or craft beers and appropriate glassware.  oysters were lovely and of course complement perfectly with the libations.

    menu was not exactly narrow (ample seafood and veggies) but certainly directed at pig -- and what Publican does it does well.  even those plates that were underwhelming were only so in comparison.  range though the entire menu -- it's hard not to be rewarded.  forget sweet desserts -- i'm sure they're good, but this is a beer hall -- and take a cheese plate (or better, another plate of tartare, barbecue carrots or charcuterie).

    service was certainly competent.  it was a full house, and the kitchen kept up for the most part though there was some waits.

    tl:dr -- this isn't a romantic getaway, but it is a wonderfully conceived foodie beer hall that does what it does very well.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/13/2013

    Had been hearing about this place non-stop from people who have visited Chicago before me and also once you see a restaurant Anthony Bourdain has been to you automatically want to try it for yourself. Make sure not to walk into the Pork Store, walk into the restaurant, it's pretty easy to identify at least in the summer time once you see all the patrons sitting outside. We sat a long communal type dinner table which personally I'm not a fan of but whatever just bring me some food and i'll keep my mouth shut. We were in such a large group and ordered so much food I can't remember when everything came out but i'll just rattle off a list of what I remember.

    We ordered the taste of three hams and non of them disappointed, all of them were very good but my favorite had to be the La Quercia Rossa. Who would have thought the ham from Iowa would outshine a ham from Spain?! The grilled Octopus was surprisingly very good, I loved it. Grilled yellowtail was excellent, the Bouchon Mussels were huge and very tasty. The blood sausage, farm chicken and the Duck Breast were so mouthwatering I was thinking of ordering seconds for myself. To round out the meal we had a bunch of different desserts but the one that stood out for me was the Chocolate Puff Pastry. Publican also has an excellent wine and craft beer menu! This place is every bit as good as Anthony Bourdain said it would be. Staff was extremely helpful, the speed at which they brought out the dishes and cleaned up each plate was very fast. Great place, definitely would come here again.

  • 3.0 star rating
    11/19/2013

    I was just thinking how ridiculous it'd be if I rated the Publican lower than both Publican Quality Meats and the Peasantry but PQM rates higher and Peasantry the same on average so here it goes.

    To give you a TL;DR before I launch into this, I'd easily give this place 5 stars for the food and 1-2 for service and atmosphere, so I'm taking the conservative average.  When will Yelp let us give half stars?  5 IS SO RESTRICTING.

    I made reservations about a week before I came in as I learned that day my dad was coming to town.  I've been told to come here plenty of times by friends and coworkers, and having tried PQM and Peasantry beforehand, I had nothing but the highest hopes for the flagship.  Making a reservation seemed like a good idea because of the restaurants high profile, even if it was later on a Wednesday.  The restaurant called twice to confirm my OpenTable rez, so they're either quite thorough or I have zero credibility.  Both are completely within the realm of possibility..

    My dad and I arrived about 20 minutes before our reservation and opted for the $8 valet since parking in the West Loop is apparently roughly as easy as finding a red line with no discernible urine odor.  The place looked to be about 75% full, which didn't really throw me off.  This has to be a great restaurant, right?  To our surprise, we were seated immediately...

    At the huge communal table, which was tighter than most airlines' economy class.  Our menus and beer/wine list more than covered our dining space and were printed on the size of paper I imagine historical documents, say the Magna Carta, are.  Very impressive was the beer list, but it took our waitress a solid 15 minutes to arrive and take our drink order.  My dad was already a scotch or two deep, but alas, I wasn't.

    To the right of my airline seat sat two DePaul sorority girls.  They were yelling, as was everyone else in the restaurant, because the designer thought it best to build the place in a style architecturally akin to a dining hall: high ceilings, hard surfaces everywhere, and nothing on the walls to dampen any of it.  The lighting also reminded me of a dining hall I frequented during my freshman year.

    After another 10 minutes of so of waiting for our beers, we thought it best to get our order out immediately.  I got the small charcuterie plate for us to split, lamb, and an order of squash.  My dad, the mussel stew.  I advised on something sausage-esque or at least pork, but he was set on seafood.  

    The charcuterie plate was a thing of beauty, with much more than your garden variety of meat treats; it was complete with blood sausage, pate, pork pie, and a few other fantastic selections, just enough for 2 to split.  Accompanying the plate was a basket of thick, crusty bread and a disk of wonderfully creamy butter.  With these two items along with our beers and waters, our dining area was at capacity.  How was this whole entree situation going to work?

    Logistically poorly, that's how.  They set down a cast iron dish on which to rest the stew and a small casserole dish with a ladle to give us an idea of how cramped this was about to get.  Around this time, we ordered more beer as our headaches from the noise grew, and they were delivered as our empty beer glasses and bottles sat there.  I barely ever care about poor table service (seriously, look at my other reviews), but our limited amount of real estate made every square inch count.  As this all took place, we were enclosed on our other side by other, less annoying diners.

    Although we were told dishes come out as they're ready (restaurant code for "screw coordinating this stuff"), the squash came out about 15 minutes before the other two entrees, and was either gone or cold by the time the others arrived.  It was fantastic, tender squash, with a hint of sweetness and overall a great seasonal fall side.  The lamb and stew came roughly at the same time and both were excellent.  The stew was chock full of surprisingly fresh mussels, the occasional medium-sized shrimp, and a bit of linguine, all in a complex, dark mushroom broth.  It certainly wasn't too salty, as many seafood stews tend to be.  The two cuts of lamb had excellent flavor and came on a bed of flavorful, aromatic greens, but most of the cuts were fat or bone and left much to be desired.  

    We opted out of dessert, and while the food was excellent overall, I can't help taking issue with the experience of it all.  Having to basically yell at my dad who sat in front of me while being elbowed by (and elbowing) coughing strangers made for a wholeheartedly disappointing experience.  I'd literally have rather sat at a fast food restaurant.  Maybe it's just me, but doesn't making a reservation a week in advance warrant a table?

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/3/2014

    Absolutely delicious food and cocktails.

    We recommend getting there early (as we did), because it gets very loud as the evening progresses.

    We had the farm chicken, the pork belly with grits, and the heirloom tomato salad.
    Everything was so delicious, especially the chicken. The juice from the chicken soaks into the crispy french fries underneath.

    Deserts were also very, very good. We had the peach tart and the chocolate pudding.

    I wish I had gone here earlier in my trip so we had more time to go back again.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/7/2013

    With over 1,400 reviews already, mine seems unnecessary but I just have to rave about the meal I had.  We were actually waiting to go to another restaurant, which had a 1hr 15 minute wait, so we just were walking around and saw The Publican, and decided oh what the heck, let's see how long the wait is.  I asked how long for 3 people, five seconds later they said "Follow us."  We were taking aback and how quickly we were able to get in!

    The atmosphere has a very fun, rustic vibe with shared tables.  There are some private tables if you want some romance, but we were fine with the shared table. I love the little storage area under your seat to put bags/purses etc.  Seconds after being seated we were given water and coffee and people were constantly filling up our glasses - AMAZING!  Our server was fine, offered up a great suggestion - I can't remember the name, but it was a white fish with homemade bagel and some incredible ricotta cheese mixed with peas, two of us got that and we also got the red wine poached eggs, which were also superb.  

    I'm so glad we ended up here, it was so great and I can't wait to come back!!!

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/20/2014

    Uppity hostesses, industrial setting with outdoor dining that is positioned to make you stare at the back of trucks, and a pretentious menu. I hear the place is generally well regarded, but we won't go back.  However, our server, David, was friendly and very knowledgable.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/28/2014
    1 check-in

    Slammin!!!!! The Brussels Sprout dish is legit! Best chicken I've ever had! Great beer selection. Service was perfect.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/19/2012
    4 check-ins

    SUNDAY BRUNCH REVIEW

    So everyone says "go to Publican" and I was worried about getting my hopes up, but luckily folks were right!  Got the schnitzel which was really crispy, tender, and well-seasoned.  It was stacked with chard and an egg  The reason why this place doesn't get 5 stars is because I had asked the waitress if the meal was stacked or if things were separated, and she said separate.  Then the stuff appeared stacked and I was nervous about the schnitzel getting soggy (important stuff).  Turns out the chard wasn't overly-juicy and actually tasty, so it was all good.  The egg, however, was overdone.  I had asked for over-easy and the egg was clearly in the over-medium side.  It would have been nice to have a runny egg and schnitzel, but the schnitzel was honestly so good that it was fine by itself.

    I also got the maple bacon which was good but nothing oh-my-god-amazing.  I think the maple bacon thing is sort of hard to mess up since the flavors are just so good together, so it was hard for me to appreciate why these two pieces of bacon were $7.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/22/2013
    1 check-in

    This is one of the best restaurants I have experienced in a long time. We had several different dishes such as oysters on the half shell, charcuterie plate, chicken liver pasta, suckling pig, etc.  The overall best dish was the beef tongue. Holy sh@t batman - this was unbelievable.

    This place is a must try.  The service was excellent. We didn't try the desserts.

    Also, don't plan on drinking a lot....you will be way too full.

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/25/2014

    I keep going back hoping my opinion will change, but after my 5th visit no luck. Don't get me wrong there are quality dishes here, but nothing I crave. I often find the dishes to be too gamey for my liking. However I do enjoy the oysters and spicy pork rinds. Oh and the pickled strawberries!

    Just a few callouts:
    - rotating menu
    - community seating
    - brunch spot

  • 2.0 star rating
    9/23/2013

    Brunch for 3 on a Sunday.
    Ok food, overpriced, small portions, pretentious, crowded, loud

    Communal tables - Not a big fan

    It's loud indoors.  Outdoors, you can hear the conversation of people next to your table.

    Bathrooms - Very clean.  Kudos.

    Service - Shoutout to the busboys.  They were on it:  refills, clearing our table, setting up tables as soon as customers leave, etc.  Waitress was a bit out of it.  She forgot to give us our drinks and it came to us watered down since there was ice in the drinks.  Didn't appreciate that the 8 oz of drink was already opened and poured into the glass of ice when it was given to us.  How do I know that was not someone's left over drink that you just put in my glass?  

    Food was ok and overpriced.

    Duck confit - $16.  For the price, I was expecting at least a quarter of a duck.  The dish was made up of a few slices of duck on top of the potato fried bread and a few leafy veggies on the side. We all tried the duck confit and agreed that it was very salty.

    Slagel farm sirloin steak - $17.  Again, small portions.  The dish was made up of a few slices of steak on top of a very thick sourdough bread with some pico de gallo and avocado mash.  My friend said this one was good.  

    Abba-zaba's old fashioned doughnut - $4.  It was only ONE doughnut!  For realz?  Who is Abba-zaba and what did he do with the rest of my doughnut?!?  It was a glazed doughnut.  Big deal.  It was not worth $4 dollars for sure.  (And I love my sweets!) (Note 1: Go  next door to "Glazed & Infused".  The doughnuts there will blow you away.  I highly recommend the crème brulee doughnut.  Note 2: Google says "Abba zaba" is a kind of candy bar with peanut butter centers.  The doughnut we got did not have peanut butter nor anything similar to the Abba zaba candy bar at all.  I'm lost as to how to interpret that doughnut....and feel raped for paying $4 for that pretentious doughnut.)  

    Frites with fried eggs - $7.  For 2 eggs done sunnyside up and french fries?  That's worth $7?  Was the chicken who laid those eggs a Louis Vuitton or Hermès chicken?  

    I felt like I was in a set of "The Emperor's New Clothes".  Just because they put "slagel farm, abba-zaba's old fashioned, etc." before ingredient/food names, they think they can overcharge for small portions?  No thanks, bruh.  I like my food fresh and all but I also like it reasonably priced.  Don't know what Kool-Aid these peeps might be drinking to pay that much for small portions and "ok" food but this is not my kind of cult.  This place is pretentious.

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/21/2013

    I have heard a lot of hype about this place. I am not a huge meat lover, but I went for a work lunch before heading to the Big Ten Tournament (also St Patrick's Day, lots of people out!) Our reservation was for 11:30 and we didn't get seated until 11:50 and I was in a hurry to see my Hoosiers play!

    We were seated at a long table, which I really don't like those communal tables. I am sitting like 3 inches from someone I don't know. Weird. I love the booths though, very cool looking, they like close you up in there. Anyway, we ordered breakfast, it was good! I had the truffled eggs and we tried some sausage that came with a pretzel (right up my alley). Service was good, food was good, nothing really blew me away. Maybe I need to go back for dinner. I will give it another whirl. Also, take this review with a grain of salt since I am not a huge meat lover, which I think is their specialty. 3.5 stars.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/10/2013

    I am way over due to write this review.

    Went for dinner a while back with my husband. It's hard to remember everything we had - we ordered quite a few different things. I do remember that it was incredible. We weren't disappointed with anything we had.

    The suckling pig was out of this world. The charcuterie plate was yummy and the ham plate was just as good. The very best thing was the duck hearts with dates.

    Service was really good. The only mix up was the waiter forgot to bring out the duck hearts so he brought them out at the end and said they were comped. They were so freakin good we didn't even need a desert!

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/20/2014
    1 check-in

    Always coming back for the Return of the Gyro. The braised pork belly is mouth watering. This is my go to lunch spot when I want something quick and delicious. I highly recommend this place to everyone.

  • 2.0 star rating
    2/2/2015

    I was in town visiting family in Chicago and made reservations to The Publican because of reviews on websites and love the concept.  We arrived at 9:00 for our reservation and our table was not ready.  That's totally fine however we were unable to have a drink at the bar while we waited because they were at capacity.   I have no problem if the tables are running behind...I just want to have a nice hand crafted cocktail while we wait or order a bottle of wine.  Once our table was finally  getting "ready".  They showed us to a bar table to order a drink and wait for them to set our table up.  Our waiter was excellent.  He was very friendly, attentive and knowledgeable on the beverage program and menu.  We started off with shrimp ceviche (which consisted of 3 shrimp cut in half and not deveined),  which made it very in appetizing..."three hams" was next which came with warm present bread (this was excellent), and "pickles" assortment of nicely pickled vegetables.  The pickles came out within 10 minutes. The other 2 apps took over 20-30 mins. For dinner we ordered the "suckling pig" how could you not at a pork inspired place.  The pork was very dry but the other components of the dish were very good.  It's came with Swiss chard bread pudding and dried cherries. We also ordered the bbq carrot appetizer which was very flavorful and done well.  Next on the menu was " White Sea Bass" which came out extremely overcooked and maybe got a 5oz portion.  Our dinner took over 45 mins to come out.  Our server realized it taking awhile and brought over a complimentary "frites" appetizer.  We skipped dessert because we were over if by then.  I gave 2 stars because of service was excellent and decor was very nice.  Next time I'm in town this will not be on my list of place I have to go to.

  • 2.0 star rating
    6/23/2014
    1 check-in

    Not really sure why this place is rated so high. Food is okay for the price. I prefer their sister location across the street.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/25/2014

    First off, the food was FANTASTIC.  I was, however, a bit disappointed in the front of house staff.  Even with a reservation, the hostess (who clearly was annoyed that we were there) told us to wait in the "bar" area for a table to become available for about 20-30 minutes (we were only a party of 2... with a reservation for crying out loud).  We could see about 15 different tables available, so we were wondering why it was taking so long to seat us.  The waitresses and waiters were a bit rude/snotty/condescending, and their tone was very pretentious.  Anyway, after finally being seated, we ordered several dishes and all were amazing.  We ate outside as the sun was setting, and the temperature outside was perfect.  The Pork Belly was outstanding, the beets with bone marrow pudding were incredible, and the Boudin Noir was spectacular.  We also sprung for dessert, and were treated with the most delicious bread pudding I've ever had (topped with caramel gelato that was to die for).  I would go back, but perhaps not when they are too busy... maybe the brunch experience would be better next time.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/21/2013
    1 check-in

    A friend recommended this spot to us. So we decided to meet her here to scope out their delicious menu.

    I had this amazing delectable burrata salad and got this bacon in crack on the side as my protein. Holy moly that was a great combination.

    The location is like in food mecca as MOTO is also located in the hood. I could eat my way through this street. Great place for brunch!

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/30/2013

    First off, major points to Publican for giving us a secluded private table when we requested such on OpenTable. We certainly didn't expect it at all, as much of the seating here is at communal tables, but it was much appreciated that they honored our request as some of our party was coming from out of town and we wanted a bit of quiet.

    The food is definitely the star here. The presentation and service don't quite get an A+ (food was served in a rather rushed manner and piled onto "ironically" mismatched dinnerware). The food, however, was fantastic. The mild yet full-flavored blood sausage pleased even those in our party adverse to the concept. Not only were the meat dishes cooked perfectly, but the accompanying vegetables were prepared flawlessly - never overcooked and mushy as is often the case at places that specialize in meat.

    While Publican would definitely benefit from a cocktail menu, the beer and wine selections were more than adequate. We had a lovely Riesling Sekt, and the beer menu had some unique selections including an Icelandic beer.  Even the desserts were quite good - the accompanying ice creams (Bourbon-Molasses!) perhaps a bit more so than the actual desserts.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/10/2014

    Had Publican brunch here and the food and drinks were great. I ordered a mimosa and the turlu turlu dish, which was perfect.
    That being said, the setup of the place is a little chaotic. It was super loud, and you are either seated in a gate enclosed booth (pig stall style!) or at the long tables. Therefore, you are seated next to strangers if you are at the end of your party. It was pretty cramped.
    The busboys were super attentive in clearing our plates and filling our waters. The hostesses seemed a little annoyed at us. They asked us twice to move down a seat once we were seated, which was frustrating. The waiter was fine, though very busy.
    The menu is very, very good, but it is limited. Not recommended for picky eaters.
    I'll come back again, mostly for the food.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/8/2014

    I heard about this place since I moved here a year and a half ago but managed to go only a couple of weeks ago. I had the fried chicken and it was simply awesome. My friend had a steak salad and it was amazing. We got the hashbrown and it was a bit too oily for my taste. I'm sure the bacon was amazing but I was too full to be able to enjoy it. The Bloody Mary was great as well as the overall service.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/2/2012
    1 check-in

    This is the scene of my first sweetbreads. I adored them. There I said it.

    I also had a beet salad that was actually a stand out part of the meal, which is rare.

    Anyplace at which you can order a "Taste of 3 Hams" and be greeted by three giant heaps of ham is a place that impresses me. Hearing those beautiful words, "Ladies, I have your selection of hams", made my day.

    Next time I want to sit in a pig pen and I hope to make it in early enough to get some lamb.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/24/2013

    It had been several years since I last went to the Publican and my sister was in town for a visit so I decided to take her here with a party of 4. We got seated in a very cozy booth. Right off the service is tremendous. The entire staff knows there food and drink. The menu changes her daily so they didn't have some items, but that's a good thing. Everything is very fresh and much of the food local.

    We had several plates (it's a shared plates concept) and I didn't have a plate I didn't enjoy. If I had to pick the best I would say:

    (again menu changes, so this might not always be prepared the same)

    The Mussels (the broth is tremendous), ask for their french bread to go with it!
    The Thick cut Pancetta with horseradish (so good)
    Cauliflower (it was almost like a creamy casserole)
    Finally, sorry I don't remember what the dish was called. It was like a bratwurst, with apples and hazelnuts. I liked it b/c the Bratwurst was very light and so delish.

    But again everything was really good. I would recommend going with a party of 4-8 so you can sample several dishes.

    Oh and the beer selection is amazing as well. I highly recommend The Publican, still a very high quality dining experience.

  • 2.0 star rating
    4/26/2014

    This place is marketing and hype. The environment feels cheap and yet you still have to pay fine dining prices to get a decent meal. The food itself is also mediocre at best.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/21/2012
    1 check-in

    THE RAINBOW TROUT CHANGED MY LIFE.  Delicata squach, pickled onions, and a sage butter sauce!?  I love you.  No, I love YOU more. No, YOU.  I may or may not have had this conversation with a perfectly cooked animal at a communal table.  I may or may not have friends anymore.

    The Publican's got a great number of things down to a science.  Their standing area is genius and delicious.  Beers, oysters, and cheese plates while we wait.  Magic.

    The grape, burrata, and almond salad unleashed my gitty school girl like summer just started.  The grapes were inexplicably flavorful, and every bite just sung in my mouth.

    And Pavlova was on the dessert menu.  This tugged on my nostalgia chords, as my mother (who collects cookbooks to look at, and never to utilize) used to actually make this for me and my brother.  Not something you typically see on menus, and I'm not sure why.  It was perfect, and better than my mothers.  Yes, I told her that.

    HOWEVER, the Honey Pudding stole the dessert show.  So creative and ballsy.  Bourbon peach, almond streusel and honey black pepper ice cream? Unicorn tears were no doubt the secret ingredient in this little ditty.

    Great beer selection, amazing service, tons of seafood, and great company!  My only complaint is that it's loud as hell, but the Publican can't help it's so popular!

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/11/2013
    1 check-in

    Interesting selection of food.  And while most of is nowhere near anything I would eat on a regular basis, I tried the brown-sugar ham with kale, grits and pickled cauliflower and was actually quite good.

    The service is outstanding as not only did our server Nick ensure we had everything we needed and stopped by occasionally to see if anything changed, but water glasses were promptly refilled and completed dishes were removed by other team members as well.  

    I will definitely be back next time I'm in town.

  • 1.0 star rating
    4/30/2014 Updated review

    Came here last weekend to enjoy some pork as I have numerous times in the past.  After looking at the menu, I noticed that Becker Lane pork products were not on the menu.  Becker Lane pork is the best I have ever had and even heard Paul Kahan speak at an organic seminar with the owner of Becker Lane indicating that he swears by the Becker Lane pork as the best he and his wife have ever had.

    I asked the server about no Becker Lane products and they said that they do not serve them anymore.  The difference in quality and taste was very evident in our meal.  After dinner I did some digging and have come to learn that One Off Hospitality group is now settling for cheaper, not as organic pork products.  Shame to see what happens to restaurants when greed in the bottom line takes over for quality.

    5.0 star rating
    6/22/2012 Previous review
    Best pork in the nation.
  • 5.0 star rating
    5/4/2014

    The side of bacon is the best thing I've ever eaten in my life.

  • 1.0 star rating
    7/27/2014

    I have only one other time ever given a restaurant one star.  It has to be horrible from start to finish and on my visit to The Publican - this was the case.  I gave it one star because the ambience and the decor are very cool - especially the bathrooms. And I liked the communal tables and "pig pen" booth tables.  We had reservations for Saturday brunch.  When we arrived the place was nearly empty but yet we had to wait almost 15 minutes to be seated....with a reservation mind you!  I had very high expectations as I had heard nothing but rave reviews.  Therefore, I brushed off the 15 minute wait.

    We sat down and once again the wait began...our server showed up 10 minutes later with water and then coffee of which he splattered all over the table and on to one of my guests. When we began to order, it was almost as though we were annoying the waiter.  I stopped everyone at the table and squarely looked at the waiter in the eye and asked him if we were keeping him from something other than his JOB!  He didn't really know what to say except "sorry".  Then I asked him to explain the pancake in more detail and of course this was beyond what he "wanted" to do as well. One of the guests asked for a side order of grits which was not on the side order list but was served with my husbands meal so we knew the kitchen was making grits....he said that he would have to ask the chef....the chef said NO!!  I couldn't believe it!  If we had not already spent a considerable amount of time here, I would have gotten up and left.

    Our order finally arrived 50 minutes after we had....which in my opinion is ridiculous for breakfast!  The pancake I ordered was burned to the bottom of the skillet (not edible), the lobster scramble was warm at best and topped with cold crème fraiche,  the pork belly bibimbap was cold; the only meal that came warm and was very good was the waffle w/maple syrup.

    I wish this place the best because it has tremendous potential, but I would never return based on my experience.  By the way, when they picked up my uneaten pancake - still firmly burned to the bottom of the skillet - no one even bothered to ask if there was something wrong or if I didn't like my meal. :-(

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/28/2013

    Superb!

    Had the Suckling Pig, Sand Dabs (fish), Snail Sausage, and the Chicken Liver Pâté. Every dish was delicious!

    Sat at the communal table and got to see what others were ordering and eating. Fun talking to other guests and observing. We all made recommendations to each other.

    Great food, unique experience!

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/26/2014

    Went in to what I mistakenly thought was a GOP political rally. Walked out with a belly full of pork, oysters, and Trappist beer, a little confused politically, but mighty satisfied gustatorily.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/3/2011
    3 check-ins

    From the moment I sat down to the moment I left everything was so wonderful.

    The Publican came highly recommended by a trusted yelper friend and it did not disappoint!

    This is one of the best restaurants I have ever been to - the flavors were wonderful, unexpected and really unique.  The Publican has the most friendly staff, which is surpassed only by the quality and craft of their food. Perfectly prepared and beautifully presented, the Publican gets it right- every single time.

    Started out with the spicey pork rinds....what a piggy delight thank God I am not Islamic if I was the publican could convert me with this special seaoned mixed basket of pork in your mouth orgasmic rinds.

    it was crowded, yes it was indeed and our food came out a little slower then expected (not complaining) because the atmoshpere was wonderful and wine and beer exceeded our expectations our server sent out some complinetery  house pickles and Fries...

    Ok the fries,  This was the best deep fried potato strip I have ever consumed.  I was suprisingly shocked that a common french fry could make my  palate pop.  Deep fried in Lard and vegtable oil.  This is food science. this is deep fried love.  The Publican ruined any other french fry tastings for me.


    then here comes the succulant pig..............Another job well done.  The flavors matched perfectly this is defiently something I will be craving and thinking about for a long time.

    booking my flight now to go back for some passioniate pig.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/9/2014

    Went to the Publican for my sisters birthday and we had a great time.  Great atmosphere, service(ask for James), and food.  From the pork rinds to the bbq carrots to the porchetta, everything was great.  If you haven't been yet you should do yourself a huge favor and visit this place.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/22/2013

    I really enjoyed this restaurant. It's a meat and beer sort of joint with communal tables and excellent beer.  

    We had the suckling pig and the Chicken & Frites, which were both outstanding, we also had brussel sprouts (amazing) and potato gratin (very good). We started w/ oysters and a meat platter of some sort. Oysters we're great, the meat platter was so-so, I'd skip it next time.  

    The main reason I'm giving this 4 stars is our server was not that great. She left for long periods of time and it was difficult to get ahold of her. The bus service, on the other hand, was outstanding. I will definitely be back!

  • 1.0 star rating
    1/25/2015

    Communal dining, loud, poor service and overcooked chicken and fish - what a disappointment.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/15/2013
    5 check-ins

    Wow. The Publican never ceases to amaze me time and time again. It just simply captures the essence of cool and respect. It's the perfect mixture of old meets new and a level of mastery that's infinitely consistent. Want to know something crazy? This review is only for the standing lounge that is in the middle of the restaurant. I can't even begin to imagine just how next level their sit down dining experience must be.

    Recommendations:
    -Pork rinds or chicharon as we Filipinos call it are freaking awesome. Seriously. I laugh when I say this but my bag of salt and vinegar, hot and spicy chicharon just does not compare.
    -Charcuterie plate is a little sample of what I've come to believe to be what Publican is known for--their meats.
    -Oysters are on point
    -Frites are tasty and a good portion, try the egg on top for something different

    Bonus: They got an awesome beer selection here.

    If you are ever in the Meatpacking District/West Loop of Chicago, the Publican is truly a must.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/9/2013

    Went to The Publican for dinner on a Thurs night.  The place packs out later, but when arrived around 6 there were still some bar spots.  Everything is very communal - including the space, tables, bar, food and even the washroom area.  My coworker and I made a friend at the bar who was in town for business and we ended up sharing each others dishes - so I recommend adventurousness!

    The food was great - I genuinely enjoyed everything I tasted.  Loved the sunchokes with chorizo and collard greens, beef cheeks, pork belly, brussels sprouts (which were finely mandolin-ed).  The beer list was well-selected.  I was impressed by the service - very knowledgeable, professional and friendly.

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/11/2013

    We loved the look of the place, especially the "englenook" booths.  Unfortunately, it didn't help muffle the noise.  
    All the food was very delicious, but the country ribs were our favorite.  It was all served family style and we ordered 5 plates.  They were brought out one right after the other and it got real crowded at the table.  We felt rushed through the meal.  The waitress was not very attentive.  She never asked if we wanted more drinks and said she couldn't slow down the plates.
    Despite the good food, I would suggest not going here.  There are plenty of cheaper places with just as good food and better service.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/15/2014

    We had a booth which made us feel oddly private among the shared tables. Our server was urban cool. Not too intrusive but attentive. The hip crowd was just waiting to hit the town. Food was excellent considering there were items on the menu that otherwise we might not order but for our encouraging waiter--including cheesehead, pork rinds and other pork dishes. Very tasty indeed. The wine list was limited but representative.

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/5/2014

    We came here last night with a group of 6 to celebrate my mother in laws birthday. We were extremely impressed with the beer menu! For the six of us we ordered the following things:

    Chef's Selection Oysters: I did not eat these, so cannot give a good opinion. However, those that liked oysters seemed to enjoy them.

    Tasting of hams: 5/5 -- This was very good and more than enough ham for all 6 of us to share. When we asked for more bread, it was promptly delivered.

    Mussels: 4/5 -- Very large serving in the full size order. The bread came out piping hot and the mussels were tender and juicy. The broth could have used more flavor also, with a lot of flavor this dish was hard to share and still get broth along with your serving.

    Scallops: 3/5 -- Though it does not say on the menu, these are bay scallops and have a nice sweet flavor. Overall, the accompaniments with the scallops made the dish extremely sweet.

    Veggies (Cauliflower Gratin, Brussels Sprouts, Beets): 5/5 -- For me, these were the star of the show. All of the sides had great flavor and were prepared perfectly, not mushy or too crisp. The brussels sprouts had a great spicy/sweet sauce to offset the bitterness of the sprout. The cauliflower gratin was perfect -- definitely get that one!

    Farm Chicken: 4/5 -- After reading others reviews of this, I was expecting the best chicken of my life; while it was juicy and very flavorful, it wasn't anything to be blown away by. I would definitely compare it to brick chicken at Rosebud.

    Ham in Hay: 4/5 -- The ham was delicious, flavorful without being overly fatty. I did find the "hay" of artichokes and carrots a bit strange.

    Country Rib: 3/5 -- For being family style this one was tough to share as so much of it had strangely shaped bone pieces. However, the marinade was delicious! This may be an entree only 1 or 2 people can share.

    Dessert (Pear Tart, Profiteroles, Cheese Platter): 3/5 -- I doubt most people are coming here for dessert, but none of this was very impressive. Next time, I would even consider just going to a new stop for dessert.

    Overall, the food was above average but there is nothing I would definitely return to eat again other than the cauliflower. The timing of the dishes was very frustrating, as we were served everything besides the entrees in less than 45 minutes. Even the veggie sides were served before the entrees. The staff was very knowledgable and helpful and made it an overall very enjoyable meal!

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 4.0 star rating
    10/7/2012

    My friend was visiting and she has a decidedly tame palate.  Despite that, I figured that she might find something to enjoy at Publican.  After all, it's mostly meat right?  She ended up with a salad off the Saturday brunch menu that she seemed okay with.

    I had the pork schnitzel & waffle and it was amazing.  The waffle was deliciously crispy and the plum mostarda added a great flavor to the pork.  I did wish the mostarda would be spread a bit more evenly.  Presentation wise it was pleasing, but eating wise I found it a little hard to spread evenly.  It resulted in some bites with an overwhelming mustard flavor, but that's a very mild complaint.

    The guys next to us gave us their pork rinds, despite our insistence that we didn't really want them.  We tried them to be polite since they were staring expectantly, but it wasn't either our cup of tea.  I mean, that's why we didn't order it.

    I'm anxious to go back for the Sunday menu to try the pork belly bibimbap.  I want to see if they can pull off such a great Korean staple.

    I'm knocking them 1 star for the communal seating.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/7/2015

    Crab scramble is excellent.  The eggs felt like velvet in my mouth.  Absolutely delicious!

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/4/2014

    We had a 6:30pm reservation for 4 and were sat promptly which is a rare thing in this city.  We loved everything we ordered.  One of the best dining experiences I've had in a long time.  I'm not a huge fan of the communal seating but hey that's their thing.  Service was attentive and friendly.  Can't wait to go back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/19/2013

    I am a regular at The Publican. Ask me why? It's because they never put a foot wrong in all the times I've been there. I am not one to rush into writing a review but for once, I felt that I had to because this place deserves all the five stars and more!

    I love the great collection of drinks on offer, great beer and wine to compliment your meal. The food is mouth-watering and it doesn't matter what you order. Even though it's mostly a meaty affair, vegetarians get a special meal that I think is awesome. I tend to have a preference for either the oysters served with mignonette or the red wine poached eggs. It's like having a party in your mouth.

    The service is great and I find the prices reasonable considering the standards they have set when it comes to their meals.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/4/2013

    Staff matched the décor: a bit rustic, harsh on the outside, but soft and cozy once you get to know them.

    Let's summarize: I could live for their rillette.  I do.

    Excellent dining experience.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/13/2014

    Food here is great - I can't ever tell what's good or bad on the menu so I just order something random and it turns out pretty great :) Can't go wrong

  • 3.0 star rating
    12/30/2012
    1 check-in

    I have been wanting to try this place ever since it was featured on the Chicago episode of "No Reservations" a year or two ago.  We took my mom and brother here their second night in Chicago.  I love the communal atmosphere, except the ladies sitting right next to us kept looking over and commenting on the food we ordered.  Our server was very nice and knowledgeable, but it was difficult to flag her or the other servers down if we wanted something - it took asking 3 different servers for bread before 2 different bread bowls came to our table.  My mom wanted for a while to get a refill of her drink.

    We ordered the daily pickles, taste of three hams (yummy), and spicy pork rinds (yummier) to start.  For the main course, we ordered the fried oysters, striped bass, and suckling pig.  The pig was flavorful and juicy, but I was a little disappointed with the small portion of pig compared to the sides in the dish.  On the other hand, the bass was a good size and tasted great - we had to take the leftover fish home with us.  I had the burnt caramel ice cream for dessert - it was delicious and a perfect way to end a savory meal.  Overall I'm glad I finally made it over here to see what the fuss was all about.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/30/2014

    A cool vibe place that has both indoor and outdoor seating.  Trust your server to recommend the best appetizer, entree, and dessert.  The plate sizes vary and are displayed on the menu from small plates to sharing size plates based on where they are on the menu by category (first items for category are small and bottom item in same category is larger).  They have a good beer selection and wine selection.  Their meats and cheeses are cut and cured across the street at their butchery store.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/31/2015

    Been twice now for Sunday brunch. The first time i had the crab scramble which was a bit bland. The second time, I had  sourdough pancake with sausage and bacon-wrapped shrimp in it which was everything you want at brunch--pancakes and meat. Had the Publican Mimosa which is made with a wheat ale. It's a nice take on a mimosa. Other dishes that were really liked were the schnitzel, the chorizo stew, and the smoked pork shoulder. Even tho you wont need the extra food, everyone should share the maple bacon. It's been the best thing on the table at both meals. As other people said, the atmosphere is bright and bustling. Not my favorite kind of atmosphere but fun overall.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/14/2014

    Went to the Publican on a Monday night and was very pleased with my experience; the food was fantastic!

    I went with my boyfriend and we had our own table and split 3 plates- Cauliflower, Country Rib and Farm Chicken.  I would highly recommend all 3 items, they each had great flavor and paired well with everything on the plate.  The portions are a good size we probably could have been fine with 2 plates but I do not regret our decision to try 3!  We will definitely be back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/30/2013

    It was my first trip to Chicago; Chicago, the city that evokes images of deep dish pizza, gaudy hot dogs, and of course Da Bears. Little did I know in the midst of all that defines this eclectic mix of culinary diversity, a place called The Publican would be the place that stood out the most. It was also the best brunch I've ever had, and I have had many.

    I had heard about this place via Travel Channel shows an seen how they roll; I wanted to roll with them, so I booked a Sunday brunch for me and the wife. We started this amazing meal with an order of their Publican pork rinds. Now these aren't any Goya, out of the bag chicharones, oh no. These are made fresh to order, and dusted with a spicy cheddar seasoning. So crispy, so warm, so cheesy and spicy I couldn't help but devour them rapidly.

    For the main course, I got, are you ready for it: a breakfast sausage corn dog dipped in waffle batter. Not only was it a gargantuan sausage nestled under a golden brown crispy shell of batter, it was ridiculously scrumptious. Apparently it was served with grilled peaches and fresh whipped cream, but I was so enamored with the sausage that they merely served as color to make the plate more pretty.

    As amazing as my dish was, my wife got the plate of the day: a beautifully cooked sirloin steak with polenta served with some of the pan drippings. I felt a little bad for her getting that because I just couldn't stop stealing from her! Steak was juicy, tender, an the perfect balance of char and fattiness.

    Last but not least, we ordered some Publican maple bacon; simply put, the best fall apart tender thick cut bacon I've ever had. Ever. As full as I was by the time it came I felt it was my duty to finish every bite.

    Service was prompt, efficient, and friendly, and the ambiance feels upscale yet humble all at once. Of all the amazing places we visited while in Chicago (there were many), this is hands down the first place I'd come back to. If you're in Chicago, make sure to squeeze it into your travels.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/25/2011
    1 check-in

    Of all the places my friends took me to in Chicago, our brunch/lunch here on a lovely Sunday afternoon was by far my FAVORITE meal of the whole trip!!!

    Between the 4 of us, we split 5 dishes plus 1 side + everything that touched our tongues was nothing less than spot on delicious for a hearty meal that not only filled our stomachs but touched our souls.

    Entering the restaurant, it wasn't crowded yet so we were given the option of sitting either outside on the patio yelp.com/biz_photos/LMao…, at the long communal tables in the center of the large dining room yelp.com/biz_photos/LMao…, or in the pig pen booths along the periphery of the room yelp.com/biz_photos/LMao…. Of course we went with the awesome pig pens because who wouldn't want to have our own swinging private doors enclosing our table?!?

    Once enclosed, the first thing we ordered were mimosas: one of each of the regular Mimosa (white wine) + the Publican Mimosa (served with beer). yelp.com/biz_photos/LMao… Delicious accompaniment to the meal, but not really worth the price tag.

    And as for our 5 dishes, I'm going to rank order them from the AMAZING to the very good. Because truly... for a meal like this, there was not a single bad dish that we didn't like.  

    Country Ham Schnitzel yelp.com/biz_photos/LMao…
    If you've ever had katsu before... imagine it 1000x better! The crunch of the batter coating on the outside was perfectly light + crispy while the pork on the inside melted in our mouths. The fried egg on top was a nice touch as the gooey of the egg blended with the textures. As this was actually the last dish to arrive at our table, I'm glad we had inadvertently saved the best for last.

    Soft Shell Crab Sandwich yelp.com/biz_photos/LMao…
    Perfectly cooked! The whole crab was deliciously crunchy without losing the taste of the crab, itself. Slathered with a tomatoey-mayonnaisey remoulade + lettuce, the flavor almost reminded me of the pork belly sandwiches at Forage in Silverlake. The fingerling potatoes are cute touch, but I don't think we finished them all.  

    Bouchot Mussels (half order) yelp.com/biz_photos/LMao…
    Bigger portion than I expected for being a 1/2 order! The mussels were fresh + especially tasty when slurped with the some of the buttery beer garlic sauce pooled at the bottom. The roll on top wasn't memorable other than using it to soak up the last of the yummy sauce.

    Red Wine Poached Egg yelp.com/biz_photos/LMao…
    This is one of the highlights according to the Yelp reviews, + we weren't disappointed! While we couldn't really taste any wine flavor to the eggs, they were cooked perfectly + oozed over the sourdough bread. The key is to get some of all the ingredients (prosciutto, arugula, egg with bearnaise sauce + sourdough) in each each bite.  

    Fulton Market Quad yelp.com/biz_photos/LMao…
    Phallic innuendo with the plating much? LOL... That aside, this dish was a bit of a confusing combination of ingredients as essentially an upgrade of eggs with sausage + toast... plus a couple random little pickles. While each ingredient was delicious + cooked well, I probably wouldn't order this again since everything else had more of a cohesiveness on the plate that we enjoyed better.  

    And then of course, we had to go with the waiter's suggestion of a side of the famous Maple syrup Braised Publican Bacon! yelp.com/biz_photos/LMao…
    DELICIOUS! Sliced thick, it's essentially maple pork belly with a crunch on the outer edges + soft fattyness on the inside that made this as irresistible as many of great pork belly dishes I've had back in LA.  

    All the dishes here were so simple in their preparation + plating that the flavors of the pork + seafood most definitely stood out as nothing other than quality ingredients. I definitely recommend coming here with a decent sized group so that you can share + enjoy multiple different dishes. The idea of the communal enjoyment of food is key here from the table arrangements to even the design of the bathrooms.  yelp.com/biz_photos/LMao…

    This was one of those meals that leaves you not wanting to eat again for the rest of the day just so you can hold on to the satisfying feeling of utter contentment with the remnants of the last bite still lingering in your mouth.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/16/2013
    1 check-in

    I had one of the best meals of my life here last night, and I've had a lot of good meals. Strong, complex flavors, everything blending perfectly. I was with a party of 8 and they served 2 of each item for the table and the food came fast and furious so I don't recall everything in detail. Which doesn't matter that much because the menu changes constantly so you won't have what I had.

    Standouts oddly enough were the vegetables. A shaved brussels sprouts salad with asiago was magnificent as was roasted cauliflower with cashews and a spinach salad with roasted artichoke. This came early in the meal which was good, before we were gorged with meat. We also had tastes of the Benton ham (beloved by David Chang) an Quercia (naturally raised Niman pigs from Iowa) which were great, served with a dark bread and goat butter. Then we descended into the meatfest which included beef spare ribs, lamb chops and a blackened sirloin cooked rare and piled into a cone with roasted peppers and chunks of roasted potatoes accompanying. Fantastic bread and butter from bakery next door. Dessert was apple crumb served in kind of a tray with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, the crumb hot and perfect. I accompanied all this with a number of glasses of Green Flash Bullet, one of the world's best IPAs.

    This is not the place for an intimate dinner. Huge, loud space with diners crammed in next each other in a way that reminds you of animals in a stockyard (a metaphor which is definitely not accidental). Depending on availability, I guess, you can be seated at a long table or in pens (with swinging doors they close behind you so you can bleat for your food) or just eat standing up, something I would prefer not to do for a $50+ meal but probably would choose if I had to, the food is that good.

  • 2.0 star rating
    7/5/2014

    This place came highly recommended but unfortunately we didn't have a great experience. Our waitress seemed to forget about us the whole night and the sausage we got (with the farm chicken) tasted like hot dogs. It's a cool atmosphere but we unfortunately didn't have a good experiences

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/10/2013
    1 check-in

    My friend from New York came in to town, and so I took it as an opportunity to splurge a bit and try some place that I've wanted to go to for a while. This was absolutely perfect. It was a gorgeous day and we were able to sit outside and enjoy the weather. Our waitress was super nice and recommended the perfect refreshing beer. The waitstaff in general was so attentive and worked well together. We basically went to town ordering the Spicy Pork Rinds, the Chef's Selection of Oysters, the Charcuterie Plate, the fish, Seafood Cassoulet, and  ended it all with the Chocolate Puff Pastry. It was all so flavorful and decadent. Every dish felt like a magical surprise. I loved it and would love to come back.

  • 3.0 star rating
    7/21/2013

    Mmm-hmm, thats right. I did it. I gave a lower score than most of the fellow Yelpers has and risk getting stoned to death. Believe me, I really tried to love it, maybe its the countless numbers of 4 or 5 stars, or the endless number of friends who say its awesome, or just the overall hype, the place didn't seem to be 4 or 5 star worthy. The place is definitely "A-OK" and I wouldn't consider myself a "fan" of this place. I would be "A-OK" to not come here again and blow this amount of money.

    This place is located at Chicago's Meatpacking district and for good reason. The meats are freshest and the quality is fantastic. The place was rather dim and this place wasn't considered a romantic place, just a place to indulge your red-meat fetish.  The seating was interesting -- there were large communal tables, which were cool, the booths had "doors" to it and the wait staff looked like they were wearing car mechanic uniforms. That Saturday was a pretty darn hot and humid day with highs in the high-90s in Chi-City. When we got there, the AC barely felt it was on. The waitress said it was due to how many people were there earlier and that the AC probably couldn't "keep up".

    By the time we got there, it was around 9PM.  We were seated in one of their booths, which had little doors to fence us in.... like cattle. The prices were rather steep and averaged about $15 a plate and is meant to be served family style. the plates were enough for four people to "sample" off of, so if you think you'll be getting "seconds" on a particular dish, you may want to order two plates of it. We ordered 6-entrees and a desert and we left there full, and less in our pocket: the total cost came out to be around $250.

    If you have to order something, that my friend, are the fried clams. They were AWESOME and the raw oysters we ordered were absolutely terrific.

    BATHROOM REVIEW: The bathrooms are located near the entrance. There were 3 women and 2 mens private bathrooms. Upon entering the bathroom, you can lock the door behind you. I think this bathroom was bigger than my closets. It had a toilet AND a urinal. The red wallpaper reminded me of a hotel and the piping and knobs had gold accents. This was a setup where the communal unisex sinks where located OUTSIDE of the stall to wash your hands. So you need to unlock the door with your dirty, fecal, urine residue hands along with the 50-people who have used the bathroom before you at some point in time during the night,  to get out..... then you go wash your hands with soap and water. They had 2 Dyson airblade hand dryers and some lotion which was nice. The interesting thing was that there were no mirrors, at least for the Men's bathroom. Sometimes you just wanna check to see if you have food stuck in your teeth. Sit or squat?? You can definitely SIT, but please, wash your hands.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/3/2012

    Came here on a Saturday night and got a free standing table which is more of our type of seating arrangement. The place, surprisingly, wasn't packed but it was an earlier reservation of 5:30pm but also works for us, since we could actually have a decent conversation without having to yell. The atmosphere is very cool and love all the lights in the place, and it's still dim and warm feeling inside.

    Our server was very chill, not one to kiss our butts, but more of a direct and straight forward which is what we like in a server. She didn't really recommend much, but she was there to answer any or all of our questions. We started with the spicy pork rinds because I saw them on that food network channel and they were a little weird tasting so we definitely wouldn't get them again. Next came the pommes frites served with a garlic alioli sauce and they were delicious, but they gave you enough for like 4 people so we couldn't even finish them. Then came the most amazing and must order item on the menu, the taste of three hams with pheasant bread and goat butter. Wow, the country ham from Tennessee was my absolute favorite of the three, it was just melt in your mouth amazing and that goat butter, I can just eat it by the spoonful. I'm still craving that platter which was more than enough for us two and for $21 it was definitely worth the price. Next we got the chicken liver pate served with warm toast and grapes, it was a little different and not really my thing, but it was my husband's favorite item that night so I guess you should try it. It was a little too savory in my opinion, I prefer a little lighter pate. And of course, how could we pass on dessert even though we were already super full. We got the waffle with honey butter and apricot preserves and it was as delicious as everyone says, not as good as the Belgium waffles I had in Brussels definitely Publican worthy.

    Overall, excellent service, great and unique food, fun atmosphere for a date or group night AND get the Ham. Piggies will thank you later or actually you will thank the piggies :)

  • 3.0 star rating
    7/10/2012 Updated review

    Oh, this pains me.  The Publican used to be a favorite but Sunday's visit really aggravated me.  Has the bloom come off the rose?  It used to be a joy to come here.  This time, the overwhelming feeling of the day was annoyance.

    I was annoyed that we generally received very little attention from our server, despite being seated in the back left corner next to the bus/server station.  

    I was annoyed that our server did not seem happy to be waiting on us.

    I was annoyed that my menu was dirty.  I absolutely do not mind that the brunch menus were printed on the backside of Thursday's dinner menu.  Conservation is a-okay with me.  But how do you hand a customer a badly stained menu, and how are they getting stained so early in the day anyway?

    I was extremely annoyed, on behalf of my wife, that they were out of iced tea, and didn't seem accommodating or sorry about it.  How do you run out of such a basic product?  And how can you fail to make more?  It's not like the armored iced tea truck comes around only at 4am the first Tuesday after a full moon.  I don't care how posh or arcane your iced-tea process is, just take someone off carrot-pickling duty for a few minutes and have them make iced tea.  And if your iced-tea process IS too posh or arcane for that to work, then your pretension has exploded beyond all proportion to your restaurant concept.  It's iced fucking tea.

    I was annoyed by the lack of variety on the brunch menu.  I can't remember precisely, but on my last brunch visit there seemed like so many different choices.  Yesterday there were about ten, only two of them vegetarian.

    I was annoyed that I was never offered a beer menu.  I had to ask for one halfway through the meal.  You guys do still portray yourselves as a beer-focused restaurant, right?

    I was annoyed that our server took several minutes to return for my beer order, despite passing directly by the table twice during that time.

    I was annoyed at our server's reticent, three-word descriptions of the two beers that I asked about.  This place allegedly prides itself on putting its wait staff through the first level of the cicerone program.  So why bother if they aren't going to use that knowledge to educate their customers and, you know, TRY TO SELL SOME BEER?

    I was annoyed, on behalf of two other tablemates, at the lack of coffee-refill attention.  Their cups sat empty for at least ten minutes while we watched adjoining tables receive unrequested refills from a roving coffee-server.  Neither he nor our regular server ever gave a glance into my friends' empty cups, despite the hawkish attention paid to our neighbors.  My friends finally had to turn around to the server/bus station and ask a totally unrelated waiter for help.

    And sadly, stunningly, I was even annoyed, or disappointed really, by the food.  I enjoyed my maple-glazed pork shoulder, but the pickled cauliflower had no business in that dish.  I ate it separately, and the rest of the dish worked well, but come on.  There was a nice, mild savory polenta or grits kind of base, with sauteed spinach and the pork on top.  It all tasted great together.  But the cauliflower was a stranger in a strange land, and I was desperate for something neutral and bready to balance all that salt and sugar.  There was no toast included with my dish, though there was with the other two brunch entrees at our table.  

    But, as I said, I enjoyed the dish.  Not so for my wife's omelette.  I ate several bites and found it to be utterly boring.  It was a curiously smooth-surfaced cone of plain eggs with some stray broccoli on the side and a bewildering profusion of chopped, partially charred onion bits.   To which I say "???" and "Zzz."

    By my count, that is five demerits for our server, three demerits for the restaurant, and two that could go either way.  So even if you took the one bad server out of the equation, there are still substantial institutional transgressions here.  I won't speculate whether Paul Kahan has finally spread himself too thin, or whether the establishment has begun to take its patrons' rabid adoration for granted, or whether they are going through some kind of restaurant ennui.  Oh, oops, I guess that I just did.  Well, in any case, they have degraded significantly and I am taking them off my list.  I wouldn't turn down a free meal if someone offered it to me, but the Publican is too expensive and too far off my beaten path to justify spending my dollars and time there willingly.

    5.0 star rating
    4/26/2010 Previous review
    Oh man, brunch....so satisfying...seriously, THIS is living--great food and drink in a handsome… Read more
    4.0 star rating
    3/10/2009 Previous review
    My first visit was just for beer; I was intrigued by the modernized beer-hall concept.  Long, plain… Read more
  • 2.0 star rating
    7/8/2012 Updated review

    Okay, the gloves are off.  

    I went back for brunch today and have to remove a star, partly for service.  Let's listen in as a drink order is placed:

    BR: "I'll have an iced tea."

    K: "We're out of iced tea."

    [Pause to digest that in the 60 minutes since opening, they have run out of iced tea.]

    [Pause again to give the waiter the opportunity to offer one of their hot teas over ice, or juice, or absolutely anything else.  Still pausing?  Yeah, he didn't offer.]  

    BR: "Nothing for me."  (Scene.)  

    Really?  Iced tea, a combination of water and a tea bag, was missing in action and could not be procured?  For better or worse, I wasn't the only thirsty one who had to send flares into the sky for attention: coffee cups sat empty and the beer list was never offered.  Server quick tip: there is alcohol on the brunch menu and the beer list is known to be extensive (the staff wore shirts with the definition of "cicerone" on them) so it's safe to assume you will be selling some, even at 11:00 AM, if you give your guests the chance.      

    The menu is still the same: MEEEEAT.  It's like it was created by someone who just broke up with a vegetarian and hurts so bad they want to make the pain (and pig) go around.  So obviously I knew what I was getting in to, and it seems to work for those who love everything but the oink, but would it really cost them so much to put one item not loaded with fat and cholesterol on the brunch menu?  Okay, there was a salad and a pretzel, but for those of us looking for more of the b and less of the unch from our brunch?  

    I ended up with the omelet, which had a couple broccoli heads on the side, and way too much red onion on top.  The eggs (it seemed like about 8) were rolled into a fat and oddly smooth tubular shape, with none of the ingredients incorporated.  Luckily, the toast was good.  But like on my previous visit with the tea, it's sad when the best item is a supporting character.          

    I wish I didn't feel this way because I know how much other close friends like the place.  But it's going to be the place they can go without me when I have a migraine or am out of town or have done something horrible and they want to give me a time out.  Because life is too short for bad mood food.

    3.0 star rating
    2/22/2010 Previous review
    Aesthetics: 5 stars - I loved the warm, woody, rustic coziness.

    Service: 4 stars - our waiter knew…
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  • 4.0 star rating
    5/16/2014
    1 check-in

    The Publican is one of those restaurants that you have to go back to several times just to get a good feel about the menu. Great place to go with a group so you can try multiple items. We started out with the Pork rinds which were amazing I highly recommend that you try the Boudain which is blood sausage also the pork belly is great as well. Also I highly recommend the fried cauliflower.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/28/2014

    Went here for an early dinner, and sat on the patio.  Our server Anne(?) was friendly, knowledgable, and attentive.  The oysters were fantastic, and little gem salad with crispy pig ears was the best salad i have had in a long time.  The potted rillete needed a little punch so they brought me some home-made huckleberry mustard, delicious!!  As good as the food was, the service is what will bring us back again.  And we will be back!!

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/24/2012

    My most recent visit to the Publican was to celebrate a close friend's graduation from law school. For a party of six we were a bit light with our ordering for various reasons- one had just come from a BBQ, several have shamefully small appetites, etc. For most I would recommend ordering more than we did, though we certainly enjoyed everything we tried:

    -Daily pickles: my fave was the cauliflower, but overall the perfect combo of slightly sweet & tangy
    -Octupus
    -Beef tongue
    -Porcini mushrooms: not a fan of the cheese
    -Half farm chicken: lovely & moist, really enjoyed the fab frites that came with it but the sausage was a bit hard
    -Pork belly: guhhh, the FAT! So good.

    And then three desserts- the strawberry shortcake, some type of brownie, and the coconut ice cream (my favorite for the hints of lime!)

    The Publican has a really fun interior, great crowd, and pretty good (not stellar) service. The food is adventurous and tasty. A must-try Chicago restaurant!

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/7/2014
    1 check-in

    Good drinks, great food and accommodating to vegetarians. Interesting atmosphere but too loud.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/9/2014

    We had the glazed carrots (which tasted smokey), partticake squash (with Curry), the duck and the pork belly and a dessert that was delicious. The waiter was absolutely spectacular. He assured us if we did not like anything he would just take it off the bill. We not only loved every dish, it felt like the chef put special attention into every plate. I can't wait to come back the only problem is I live in St. Louis so won't get back soon enough.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/23/2014

    This place is awesome. It's like mid evil meets civil war era. Food is awesome and the service is spot on. Great beer selection and cocktails are very good. Overall great experience.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/7/2013

    I was in Chicago recently for a tradeshow and a supplier took me here for dinner.

    Normally I dread these evenings of business talk over the tradtional steak dinner, but this was a different animal...literally.

    The Publican specializes in Pork! This is not limited to the menu, but also on display with several paintings featuring various hogs. The tables are long communal style, but sitting "directly" alongside other diners was not really a bother in this case.

    The food is all served "Family style", and as a result it creates some great conversation around the food. Speaking of the food, it was really fantastic. With our group of 4 we had oysters, pate foie gras, some prociutto thing, swordfish, roast chicken, pork ribs. After that it is all sort of a giant food blur.

    Of all the items the chicken was the most memorable. I don't know what they did to that roast chicken, but it was the most tender/tasty chicken I have ever consumed.

    For booze, they offer one of the most extensive beer lists I have ever seen. I am a low end Blue Ribbon guy, but if craft beer is your thing you are all set at this place.

    When I am in Chicago next time, the only thing that would make another trip to the Publican better would be a larger group. That's only because a larger group would equal even more variety of dishes being ordered.

    Not your traditional dining experience overall, and in this case that is a very positive thing.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/14/2011

    Poached eggs are my FAVORITE breakfast food. And I think the red wine poached eggs here are the best I've ever had in my life. This is honestly all I can say about it because every time I start thinking about them I start salivating and my mind glazes over...

    I knew a lot of my fellow Yelpers recommended the spicy pork rinds, but I was reluctant to order them since I'm not really a fan. However, my friend had never tried pork rinds before, so we decided to get them anyway.

    Wow, thank god we did. Best pork rinds I've ever had in my life. I think it's unfair to even call them pork rinds, they're some kind of magic-Publican-crack-chip. The flavoring is so full-bodied and amazing and had just the perfect amount of spice.

    We'd made a reservation beforehand so we didn't have to wait, which I would recommend. Service was a little slow, but all the waiters were super friendly and accommodating. We were on our way to the airport so we had all our bags with us, and they checked in our coats and all of our bags, which was completely complimentary. When we were on our way out, the hostess already had our bags waiting for us at the front desk as she said she had seen us getting up to leave!

    I also loved the layout of the place as well as the bathrooms. Barnyard chic! The environment seems really bustling and friendly yet you still have enough privacy to catch up with your friends. While my friend and I were taking pictures of our food, the people eating to us smiled, shook their heads and said to each other, "Yelpers."

    Yep.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/7/2014

    What a place! Don't even know if I can remember everything we have had, because our brains were completely comatosed from the minute they brought out the food. Food porn at its finest. Come to think if it, I don't even remember what we had. Meat with meat, and the side of meat, chased with delicious brews. This place is a must-visit for any visitor or a local.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/11/2012
    1 check-in

    Very interesting restaurant. We visited here with our son and daughter who live in Chicago and are fellow foodies. It seemed like a college dining hall with a gourmet chef. We loved most of the food, including the frito misto, la quercia rossa ham, chicken liver pate, spicy pork rinds, daily pickles (a bargain at $4 and maybe the best thing we had all night), wonderful bread and butter, and the kohlrabi. All the above were 5 star, lights out wonderful.

    A few downsides: really noisy and crowded. Two dishes were big disappointments: suckling pig (dried out and no crispy skin) and short ribs (a complete bust- burned black carrots, overdone thin sliced 0.25 inch meat with no flavor) - these two dishes seemed like they were from an entirely different restaurant. We complained about the short ribs to our waitress, whose response was: "would you like me to take them away?"

    I was ready to roll out a five star rating until we tried the more expensive meat items, namely the suckling pig @$24 and the short ribs @$16. Still worth visiting here, and prices are very fair given the quality overall, but steer clear of the 2 items mentioned above.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/25/2012
    1 check-in

    I like to preface some reviews with the fact that I'm a picky eater with a somewhat limited palette.  I'm making an effort to try more and be more "adventurous", so when some of my coworkers suggested going to The Publican after work for dinner last week, I said "yes" (after a quick review of the menu to make sure there was a "safe" option for me...).

    When I go to restaurants, I always try to order something where I won't have to request any modifications - especially at fine dining restaurants.  It's one thing for me to tell the server at Friday's that I don't want something on my burger, but when a menu item has been designed and crafted by someone with a sophisticated palette, who am I to say how it should be made?

    That being said, we arrived at the restaurant for a 5:30pm reservation.  We probably didn't need the reservation at that time, but you never know.  We were seated right away.  As others have said, seating is communal and food is meant to be shared family style.

    There is an extensive beer and wine list, of which our server was very familiar.  I ordered a white wine (forget it's name) and my coworkers each had a different beer.  We ordered the spicy pork rinds and the half charcuterie plate to start with.  The people I was with LOVED the pork rinds, but having never had pork rinds before I had nothing to compare them to.  They weren't really my kind of food, but I saw multiple groups order them and everyone seemed to enjoy them, so I'm sure it was just me.  I had some of the sausage on the charcuterie plate which was good, but that was it.  Again, my group really enjoyed it, so just another example of my limited tastes.

    For our entrees, we ordered the suckling pig, country rib, and half farm chicken.  All of it was delicious.  The suckling pig had a few cuts of pork and was very tendor and flavorful.  As was the country rib which was garnished with apple and cabbage.  The farm chicken was good (this was my "safe" option).  It came with frites and summer sausage, which were very good - I think those were my favorite parts of that dish.

    We also ordered dessert - even though we were all pretty full.  We had the bread pudding which was awesome - not too dense, with a maple flavoring and smoked nuts.

    In terms of service, our server was friendly, knowledgable, and not at all pushy.  My water glass was never empty, I don't even think it got to be halfway empty, and I drank a lot of water that night.

    All in all, I enjoyed eating at The Publican and would definitely go back.  The menu offered options for those who were more adventurous, but also some elevated classic dishes.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/5/2013

    Everything about this place is YES. Come here and eat everything and enjoy being in an awesome restaurant.

    The feel of this restaurant is like the dining hall you wish you had in college: big, communal tables, gorgeous woodwork, and free-flowing alcohol. It is homey and communal, but can still be very intimate, WITH the added bonus of being able to see what everything looks like before you order. It's like a noisy food fashion show.

    The alcohol is awesome. Awesome. The wine list is amazing- almost all foreign wines, which I appreciate, and all very interesting. Nothing boring, all grape types I see very rarely. They even have good rose's. I mean, I can't remember the last time I had a rose I loved. AND wine is served in carafes instead of glasses. Win. Boyfriend LOVED his beer, and his scotch. Three for three. That's worth five stars right there.

    Now, the food. We had the farm chicken, which came with about a bazillion fries. The chicken was crispy and still juicy, wonderfully herbed and just YUM; the taste of ham, which was exactly what it sounds like- a mega plate of three different types of ham, and it was all really good ham, pancetta plus; we also had the blackened fish, which was delicious, but definitely not the star of the show; the cantaloupe, which came with pecans and salami and was DEFINITELY my favorite; the tuna crude, which was boyfriend's favorite and was seriously magical.

    I will definitely come back here. Definitely on someone else's dime though, because I will want to eat everything all over again.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/17/2013

    Blah blah blah it's delicious blah blah fine I'll drink a Bloody Mary made w whiskey and a 3floyds beer chaser blah blah the booths are super awesome blah.

    What really stood out on my last visit to the publican was the service.  They were marketing something on their menu as an upscale mcgriddle (indeed!) and, with a McDonald's corporate drone at our table, we joked that they should brand it like the M on the mcgriddle. Haha, right? They branded the buckwheat cake!! (mmmm buckwheat cake) And even shaped the cake to fit with the shield in the brand. Well done.

    What else? Unbeknownst to me an invoice  fell out of my purse while we were there. I just received it back in an envelope mailed to my house from the publican. I had no idea I'd dropped it.  Seriously, you guys are a class act. Dietary restrictions prevent me from eating 90% of your menu, but I'll def be back more because of this extra gesture you made. Thanks!!

    Also brunch cocktails ftw

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/16/2014

    Worth every penny. All of the seafood dishes are fresh and amazing and the drinks were good as well.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/29/2012

    Made a reservation for a Saturday breakfast/brunch. They deserve all the accolades they have received. Granted, their food wasn't your typical breakfast/brunch food but every dish was still amazing.

    Their coffee was good, and the Publican Mimosa (blance (belgium beer) with orange juice was a very interesting twist of a mimosa.

    We had to try the spicy pork rinds after seeing it on the food network - do it. You won't be disappointed. We also ordered the chef's selection of raw oysters which is a dozen of oysters, and you're given to of each kind. I like how they give you a card that states what each oyster is.

    Entrees:
    1) Ricotta & zucchini bread with raspberries, honey & mint
    2) Market salad (poached egg, green beans, zucchini, fennel, fingerling potatoes, parmesan & creamy red wine vinaigrette)
    3) Farm Chicken - very moist, tender, and the sausages were so good!
    We also ordered an fish entree (it was actually cool in temperature - wouldn't have thought fish could taste so good cooled!)

    The service was very good and the price was not bad.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/29/2013
    2 check-ins

    An absolutely animalazing butcher shop! Usually a decent crowd inside so be prepared to peruse the wares before sitting down. Start with the Charcuterie plate and then you have an idea what to try next...

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/1/2014

    A personal chicago favorite that's inspired restaurants across the city including my own.  I love the beer program and commitment to fresh, seasonal and sustainable. Flavors are big and room is warm.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/14/2014

    I have had the pleasure of having brunch and dinner at The Publican and recommend it with a small caveat.  Since there are hundreds of reviews and photos, I will just reiterate my admiration for the food and decor of the place and move on to the caveat.  If you are a highly individualistic person, you might not like the communal seating and emphasis on sharing dishes.  I think I have been lucky to have always gotten a pigpen booth, but I can imagine having a bad experience if I had to sit between some obnoxious diners.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/29/2013

    Vegetarians, you might want to read this review!

    I came to The Publican with a group for a business chat, with no idea what to expect. My first impression was positive, but probably not the right choice for our business talk. There is some private-ish table seating, but we happened to sit at a long table shared with other diners. In the middle of the room, there were interesting high tables around which people stood, drinking and sharing small plates. The music was loud and the conversations made for a real din. But I'm not complaining. That's what they're going for at The Publican: lively and informal.

    The food at The Publican is served family style, meant to be shared. The dinner menu has an interesting structure. It's divided into fish, meat, and vegetable dishes. As you go down the fish and meat columns, the prices get higher as the portion sizes get larger. Toward the top of each column are their small dishes, and it goes on down to entree-sized selections.

    The folks at my table shared mussels, oysters, and several other meat dishes, and there were a lot of happy faces as they sampled each dish. Here's the rub, though: I'm a vegetarian! Even many of the vegetable dishes have meat based ingredients here, including the frites (fried in animal fat). I resigned myself to chomping on whatever vegetables happened to come to the table.

    So, imagine my awe when someone told our server that there was a vegetarian at the table. She immediately asked who it was, and told me that they have a special plate they make just for the vegetarians who come in. It was wonderful! On the plate was an assortment of several different vegetable dishes. Cauliflower, asparagus, broccoli rabe, snow peas, greens and summer squash, each prepared deliciously and most definitely not as an afterthought. The preparations were innovative enough to be exciting, which is saying a lot for a group of vegetable dishes. The recipes included such yummy things as blueberries and currants, and they were perfectly seasoned. I shared with the table and everyone loved them.  

    Service was attentive and pleasant; the wine and beer selection seemed good, but not being much of a drinker, I'll have to leave that detail to other reviewers.

    So, if you're a meat eater and want great food in a social atmosphere, this is your place. If you're invited here and you're a vegetarian, fear not: they'll take good care of you at The Publican!

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/14/2013

    Simply AMAZING! After trying the food, you understand why it's a little pricing. Straight from the farm meat, cooked to perfection, it just fits in this lovely city!

    A++

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/23/2012
    5 check-ins

    Went for brunch and was not impressed and not interested in returning.  Then we went with a couple for dinner and were WOW'd x10!  Everything we ate (oysters to veggies to octopus to scallops) wasjust out of this world!   We will be back as this may be our new favorite place.  They have a great atmosphere here as its quite cozy.  You can call in advance to order s suckling pig.  Those who ordered it seemed to be really enjoying it.  Its sharing plates kind of set up.  You will not be disappointed!

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 4.0 star rating
    4/6/2015

    This place has been on my list of places to try for brunch and am happy that I finally made the trip!  Their menu changes on a regular basis so my friends and I weren't exactly able to rely on other people's choices on Yelp because most of the items listed weren't on their current menu.  I ordered the Peekytoe Crab Scramble which was pretty good, although I think I liked my friends' choices better!  Two of my friends ordered the Red Wine Poached Eggs.  They both loved it and I was able to try a bit myself.  Another one of my friends had the Avocado Toast which she shared and I really enjoyed!  We all thought the dishes were pretty unique compared to most other brunch places.  I'd be interested in coming back to try their other dishes.  Their coffee was quite good as well, apparently an exclusive blend of their own from Intelligentsia.  The interior was interesting and bright - perfect for a sunny Sunday morning!....and my friends and I sat at a booth where we were enclosed in a "stall"......odd sounding, so I guess you'd have to visit the venue to know what I'm talking about!  Service was okay as our waitress wasn't as attentive as you'd think she should be at such an establishment.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/25/2014

    I've been there a few times. It's simply one of the better brunch in town. Everything is done extremely well and the flavors are impeccable. Bonus point: they accept reservations!

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/24/2014

    I have been meaning to come here for so long. We came on a Saturday and was sat outside after waiting about 20 minutes. Not bad for a weekend with no reservation. They also had a server offer drinks while we waited.

    The Good:

    The food was pretty awesome. We had a beef tartare with fried oysters on top. The pair went well together, with the right amount of texture. I highly recommend this dish. We reluctantly took the server's suggestion and had the chicken, which turned out to be a great choice. He really talked up the dish, and I'll say it was the best chicken I've had. Great flavors and just the right moisture made this entree fantastic.

    The server was fantastic. He was quite passionate about his job and it showed.

    The wine list is extensive and reasonable. I also like how they serve wine in highball glasses. Very classic.

    The Bad:

    The hostess didn't acknowledge us until she was finished with whatever she was doing. She also looked like she wanted to be anywhere else but that restaurant. Being the face of the restaurant means you need to be welcoming.

    Also, we sat next to a restaurant station and had to hear the servers complaining about customers.

    Overall, solid place. I'll be back.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/16/2012

    BOMB.COM!  

    The food here is fantastic, the atmosphere is great and the service is outstanding. Went with a big group and we had a blast. Everything we ate was good but the best was the yellowtail, the fried perch, the corn, the farm chicken with fries and the beef sirloin. Cannot wait to go back!

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/3/2013
    1 check-in

    This restaurant was high recommended by other foodie friends and it did not disappoint. Simple, seasonal food (but definitely not local), that are sized to share but not too big that you don't get to try a lot of different stuff. Our favorites were the pork belly (sweet apple crunch glazed on the skin), dragon beans with quinoa, and a very memorable porchetta. Reservations are highly recommended, we actually couldn't invite more people to go with us because it was so limited, The booth we were in was so weird, it had a door that closed, kind of like a horse stall or a train car.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/7/2013
    1 check-in

    The Publican came highly recommended to me by several friends so I decided to give it a try. We had no problems getting a reservation and were fortunate to get a corner spot on one of the banquet tables which gave us a little more room for our food. We ordered a lot - and it was all delicious:

    Halibut Crudo - this was tuna on the menu, but it was great nonetheless and was a nice way to start off the meal
    Taste of 3 Hams - I'm no pork connoisseur, so we picked this to play it safe and we weren't dissappointed. I don't remember exactly what we got, but it was all amazing.
    Mussels - 3 of us shared a full order and we all decided that we could have easily eaten more, they were that good
    Cauliflower Curry - we had to get some vegetables in there somewhere, and this was a great choice
    Pork Belly - maybe the best thing I've ever eaten. Words can't describe it, just get it.
    Fromage Blanc Cheesecake - delicious dessert and a great way to finish a great meal

    It's easy to run your tab up quickly but I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a great and fun meal with friends or family.

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/23/2013

    We gorged, heavily.

    Not having reservations on a Tuesday night, we wandered in at 8:00 pm to find the restaurant fully packed with hungry diners.  We were led to the center of the restaurant which served as a watering hole until our table was ready.  For a short period of time, we shared our bar table with another group, who offered up their pork rinds for a taste.  While nice, they were not exceptional, the flavoring had a hint of Cheetos dust, which I thought odd, since the party offering the rinds felt that they were the best thing ever.

    The restaurant layout included the worlds largest communal table and would win for best use of Mid Century style round lighting fixtures.  Small tables in enclosed semi private boxes that accommodated up to 4 people lined the perimeter wall, similar in style to private church boxes that one sees in old East Coast churches.  

    After a short wait, we were seated and we starting with the chef's selection of oysters, followed by a full charcuterie plate ... the evening had just started.  An Apple plate followed, which was like a sliced apple salad, Blood sausage and French Fries with eggs.  These were all fine dishes, but not over the top exceptional.  The   Pork Belly dish, which I was really looking forward to was a bit of a disappointment, as it was dry and with little fat.

    We finished our meal with Intelligentsia coffee and dessert and overall, felt satisfied with our choices, other than the Pork Belly.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/3/2013
    1 check-in

    I loved everything about this place! From the rustic decor, the service, to of course the food! I was thankful that I made reservations, otherwise we probably would have been waiting for an hour plus! My friends and I ordered a handful of entrees to share. The service was impeccable! Our waters were filled immediately after we'd take a sip. To the point where it was a bit overwhelming, but i'd rather have that than wait for waters to be refilled. Anyway, moving onto the food!

    -Spicy Pork Rinds: standard, I would pass.
    -Full order of Mussels: very hearty serving and delicious too! Came with bread for dipping and requesting for more bread was a breeze!
    -Beef Tongue: Absolutely delicious, it was my favorite entree! It was perfectly charred and served over a bed of Moroccan rice.
    -Grilled Squid: drizzled with a cilantro pesto sauce. A little tart, but it went well with the grill squid.
    -Chicken Liver Pate: I'm a sucker for pate, so this was easily a top dish as well. Only drawback was that it's served with toasted sourdough or some type of artisan bread, so eating the bread hurt. ha!
    -Lemon Panna Cota: what's not to love? ha!

    Overall: decently priced for the food and service. I would definitely come back if I visit Chicago again!

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/11/2012
    1 check-in

    An old friend was in town, and we decided to check out the Publican for dinner.  We had no problem making a reservation on OpenTable, and we were seated on time.  

    We ordered a half serving of the serrano ham, the chicken sausage, the spare ribs, and broccoli.  The serrano ham was excellent, and the half portion was more than enough for us.  The chicken sausage was also quite delicious.   I wasn't a huge fan of the ribs - which were initially delivered to the people sitting next to us! - but I'm not a big fan of ribs so that doesn't mean much.   I'm not sure what was served with the broccoli, but it was excellent.  We also split some sort of chocolate tart for dessert, which was also excellent.  The beer list was impressive as well.  

    Our waitress seemed pretty indifferent and had a weird sense of pacing things throughout the evening - she'd disappear for long periods of time, and we practically had to tackle her to get the check.  I was not a huge fan of the communal seating arrangement - I felt like our neighbors were on top of us, and one of our dishes was inadvertently served to them.  The service and the crowded seating were definite turn-offs; however, the food and drinks were good enough to make me want to give the Publican a second chance.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/8/2012

    I am fan of the Publican for its casual, unfussy take on delicious, local eating. You feel instantly that this is the kind of place chefs would hang out and eat on their own--a kind of hangout for the culinary cool when they want to cozy up to a Sunday paper and coffee and get away from all the fancy garnishes and big steaks that often define Chicago's restaurants.

    It's homey in very sceney, hip kind of way: a wide open, expansive dining space that at once says 'mess hall' as it does casual elegance. It comes down to you to read between the lines, though I'll confess, having patience for the hipper than thou waitstaff who seemed to be trained in charm by Anthony Bourdain would be helpful. It's by no means a quiet space--a large, open floor plan, the chatter of groups spreads and fills the restaurant. If you are looking for quiet or romantic, the Publican probably isn't for you, though owner Paul Kahan's Avec and Blackbird might just do the trick. Think of the Publican as their noisy, angsty brothe

    There is a basic comfort about the food--a sort of unvarnished machismo that doesn't come off as shtick--big cuts of bacon, exceptionally tender poached eggs, pork chops, charcuterie, and the best soft pretzel I've found outside Germany. In some ways, the Publican is how you expect to eat in Chicago--the city of big shoulders should provide some hearty meals for those cold days--but my 5 years in the city found so few restaurants willing to be as cozy as the Publican.

    They love their beer selection--lots of Midwestern gems, though few are totally surprising in this part of the world. Rather, its the sheer diversity and supply that makes the Publican a treat for beer aficionados. In recent years, though, the taps seem to have taken a back seat to craft cocktails. The Publican always was ready and well positioned to be your barkeep of choice when fresh ingredients meet top shelf liquor. Now that the trend has arrived, it's hard to decide if the Publican is a beer place or a cocktail place. It might just excel at doing both very well.

    30 Days of Yelp: 7/30

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/29/2013

    Cute venue. Has animal stalls for tables. Great service. Maple syrup bacon was a little too fatty for my Liking 2/5. Fries with eggs. Superb 5/5. 16 oz. press coffee decent. 4/5. Oysters. 5/5. French toast, tasty and pretty rich. 4/5

  • 2.0 star rating
    6/19/2014

    Very disappointed in our experience.

    Dozen Oysters (chef's selection) - Standard. Some were good, some were so so.

    Strawberries - Delicious. Best part of our meal.

    Seafood Stew - Mediocre. Shrimp were overcooked, shellfish were so so, and there was too much pork which resulted in the broth being very salty. The dish should also be served with crostini or a bread similar to how muscles are typically served.

    Potee - Inedible! EXTREMELY salty. It was salty enough that when I took a bite, the salt basically numbed my tongue. The dish was recommended by the server, is one of the most expensive on the menu, and served on a large platter. We barely ate 1/3 of the dish, were never visited by our server to ask how the food was, and when a different server removed the dish, they ignored that the dish was largely uneaten.

    Service - The service was friendly enough but totally disjointed. We were visited by many servers so there was no rapport with any of them which I think is important if a restaurant is truly trying to guide you through a memorable culinary experience. No one bothered to ask if we enjoyed what we ordered (which we had some serious comments on...), all of the server's recommendations were the most expensive items, and the quality of both entrees was sub-par.  

    Ambiance - Communal tables are part of their shtick, but the noise level was pretty bad. Nothing on the ceiling or walls to absorb sound.

    I would not go back to Publican.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/11/2013

    Celebrated another year in this great world with a group of 10 friends last week at this fine establishment. I've had my eye on the Publican for a while, as I'm a big fan of PK. He released some recipes for Bon Appetite last year that I recreated and then I bought some goods at PQM. That was the icing on the cake for me. This guy's a culinary stud.

    I like how they corral incomplete groups at the standing room only tables. Although I'm curious to see how that would workout on a hectic busy night.

    Interiors a bit stark, although I like the lighting a lot. Plus the pigs all over the wall make me chuckle. Be kinda funny to have something like that in my home kitchen some day.

    Food and drink were outstanding. SO fun to share away and chow down.

    Oysters, GET EM' ALL!!! So fresh, so clean, wait...that's song lyrics. I'm more of a west coast man, but Publican carry's such a great selection you gotta get em' all. YOU have to order Saison Du Pont, best beer for oysters (imo)

    Smoked Arctic char pancake is REDONK! Uber savory, served in a scalding hot skillet. Creme friache adds just the perfect touch of tang.

    Squid was a little lack lustering, I wish I was with some more fish eaters so I could have sampled around this part o the menu more.

    Taste of three hams, a must. It's served with excellent rye bread and....wait for it....LARD!

    Spicy pork rinds were a big let down, friends raved about em. Maybe they had been sitting around or something...

    Chicken Liver Pate was great, loved the lambic cherries. Probably because I love lambic beers.

    Blood sausage, one of my favorite dishes and I barely got any of the extras.

    Suckling pig, we awarded this best plate. Farro was perfect coked, pork was juicy, and the greens rewarded the whole dish. We needed two orders, so yeah!

    Farm chicken, got a whole order. Frys get soaked in the juices, FUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH... Chicken was great as was summer sausage. They could open a drive threw window and succeed just serving that dish in a cardboard box.

    Also got beet salad, which was good. I snobbed out by stating I recreated this dish last year from PK's provided recipes. The Asparagus was maybe the best I've ever had, the tonnato sauce. I NEED THIS RECIPE NOOOOWWWWW!!!!

    I love this place. Can't wait to go back and tour the rest of the menu and especially their brunch.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/20/2012

    I finally made it to Publican after hearing so much about this venue from others; I went to the Saturday brunch with my wife and my parents who were in from out of town. We opted for the al fresco dining as though it was unusually hot and humid for May in Chicago, the outdoor area is protected from the sun. Our server Antonio took good care of us and all four us enjoyed the meal. I did peek inside and it was really modern and chic looking; the bathroom is funky and definitely worth checking out and I loved the ceilings and wallpaper.

    I had heard from several people that they consider Publican to offer the best brunch in Chicago; though after dining here North Pond still is number one in my book, I definitely can see how others would view Publican as tops. The menu is creative with lots of interesting and upscale options featuring seasonal cuisine. What is fun is that the Saturday and Sunday brunch menus are completely different from one another, so you can either take a peek online and choose the day that has the menu most appealing to your palate or you have a built in excuse to come here twice.

    Everyone at our table liked their dish of choice; my father ordered the pork schnitzel served with a waffle (and proclaimed it was the best schnitzel he had ever had), my mother and wife both selected the soft-scrambled egg focaccia and I went with the chorizo flatbread topped with a fried egg, cucumbers, mint, fresno chiles and cumin raita. You know a menu is exotic when the Yelp spellchecker is trying to inform me that five of the foods I just mentioned are misspelled (though surprisingly it did approve schnitzel). The table shared the Burton's maple syrup braised Publican bacon which consisted of two very large, thick pieces of juicy and tasty pork belly. Publican's brunch is definitely gourmet and everything is elevated from your typical bacon and eggs type fare. Portions are fairly generous and the price point is quite reasonable (most dishes run $10 to $15).

    Brunch at the Publican also has nice beverage options; if you are in need of some java they offer a bottomless cup or a French press (Intelligentsia has created a blend exclusively for Publican). There are fresh squeezed juices, rare teas and of course adult beverages. I had the Bloody Mary which came with a choice of a sidecar of one of three craft beers. The Bloody Mary mix is house-made as are the added celery bitters. The Bloody was nice and spicy and had an attractive appearance with lots of asparagus spears and cucumbers protruding, but I found that the pickling of these veggies did not have the most pleasant taste. There are some other fun breakfast cocktails and my wife loved the Gin and 'Treuse (featuring green chartreuse) and my mother enjoyed a Mimosa.

    While brunch at the Publican did not blow me away, it certainly was very good and well worth experiencing if you want to try a high quality elevated play on typical brunch. My experience was definitely positive enough that it left me craving more and I will have to make it back to Publican in the near future to try dinner; if I lived in the West Loop I would be a regular here for brunch.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/29/2011

    Went here last night for a little birthday celebration and enjoyed everything about the place!

    Attentive waiters, even though they spoke too fast about recommendations. Great unusual beer. The food. Ah, yes, the food...

    Besides ordering (and getting 1 dish on the house) a crazy amount of food for 3 people, it was fantastic. But I guess over-ordering was our fault, since we did it to ourselves. Not sure how the free cauliflower dish (fantastic) that we got on the house put us over the edge, but we definitely went over.

    We started with the tuna (too small to share, but really tasty) and the tongue. Tongue was UNBELIEVABLE. I've had hearts and kidneys here last time, presented in a similar fashion, but the tongue was in a class of its own. Converted 1 more person to a tongue lover last night :) If you've never tried it - you must try it here, then go and order tongue tacos at a good dive MX restaurant...mmmmmm

    But, enough about the tongue, because we also had the veal, fried clams, octopus and a little apple/ pomegranate salad, to make sure that we are eating healthy.... It really helped, at least mentally :)

    Octopus was the best, but the rest of the stuff was pretty damn tasty. We finished with the waffle for desert, which was obviously unnecessary, but was probably the best waffle that I have ever had. SERIOUSLY

    This place is a can't miss! I've also been a few times for brunch on Sundays, so if you can't make it for dinner - start early ;)

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/19/2013

    Interesting place. I enjoyed the concept. The bathroom rocks. However, the food is a bit, well, interesting, especially when considering portion sizes.

    I enjoyed the menu. However, the boudin was not really a Louisiana staple.  It tasted more like Italian sausage. The only dish that was of any substantial portion was the last one we ordered. I can not remember off the top of my head, but it along with the other 4 dishes we ordered were all part of the entrees.

    We walked in on a Friday night, stood at the little bar area for a while, and were promptly seated at the patio. From what I hear, this is exceptional, which I appreciated as it was my birthday.

    The coffee was great. The desserts were ok. Nothing spectacular, but still yummy.

    The service was standard.

    I really liked the pork rind appetizer. I would agree, however, to not inhale. The seasoned coating is a bit dangerous when inhaled, akin to that feeling you get when inhaling cooking spray.

  • 1.0 star rating
    7/9/2014

    Everything was good until a big bug crawled out from under out tablemates' lettuce! It was a hugh appetite surpresser! Management seemed a bit non-plussed and asked if they could bring us another one. Nobody wanted to eat anymore and we refused the offer. They did take that one meal off the bill but management never came an apologized or offered anyone else (who couldn't continue eating) any compensation. We got the strange feeling that this was not an isolated event but something that they had seen before! We would suggest that you stay away!

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/13/2014
    1 check-in

    What a fantastic meal! Great food, knowledgeable and pleasant servers, and a real intimate setting -- I loved the communal table, neutral colors, and comfy atmosphere. The ribs were probably one of my favorite dishes. A great place for warm, fun conversation with friends. I'll definitely be back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/16/2011 Updated review

    Annnnnnnnnnd, back for brunch, which completes my succulent survey and results in a whopping, resounding, plump five stars for Publican.

    The brunch menu is splendid. Just, utterly splendid. Hot rich coffee poured righteously and quickly, Publican mimosas flowing, fried french toast with jelly and maple syrup, ham & eggs & toast, sticky cashew buns, spicy bloody marys, and a continuing list that will wake you up from even the world's WORST hangover just goes on and on, a whole side of the carefully culled menu. Waiting for you. Beckoning you to hurry in. It's brunch for godssakes, it's important. We need it.

    Reservations recommended. The word is out.

    4.0 star rating
    10/28/2010 Previous review
    Little Gem Salad = BEST dinner salad in Chicago.

    Hands down. Crispy pig ears up. Word.
    4.0 star rating
    10/6/2010 Previous review
    This little piggy went to Publican. Twice.

    I decided upon my first visit that The Publican was…
    Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    2/13/2011

    I need more stars, five stars just is not enough for The Publican.

    I have waited and waited to write this review, because I just want to get it right. I do not think I can sing the praises of this place loud and well enough.

    Customer Service: From the moment we walked in, the service was top notch. We were greeted by two perky hostess, one took our coats and the other checked us in with our reservation. We were escorted to our table, which we did not like. It was in the middle of one of the community tables. We asked for a more private two top over by the windows and the hostess was more then happy to move us.

    Once seated, we were greeted by our waiter who was a big bear type gentleman named Tim and one of the many assistant waiters who were running around.  Main waiters wore beige chef type coats and assistant waiters wore mechanic type short sleeve shirts with there names on them. As our dining experience continued, it was obvious that waiters take your orders and the assistants do everything else. Tim did bring us our bar orders, but Nick served us all our food items.

    Food: I love the fact that on the menu they tell which farm and where the farm is located. Not that I would know where they are, but it was still cool that they let you know.

    Our food was some of the best I have experienced period. We started out with a Arugula Salad. The pears were crisp and being combined with Parmesan and cashews made it so refreshing. I ordered the Country Ribs, which were more like strips of a pork steak, there were no bones. They were thick and tender. I also had the Sweet potatoes with fried Sage. These by far were the best sweet potatoes I have ever had. They were cubed and pan seared with hazelnut picada. I'd love to be able to have this every Thanksgiving instead of the typical candied you have at the holiday.

    My coworker order the Duck Hearts not something I would order or even try, but he liked them and I posted a picture of them so they wouldn't feel neglected.

    Back to Customer Service, Nick one of the assistant waiters brought us all of our food items. He was very personable and explained everything we ordered again as he placed it on the table. He made sure we had everything we needed.

    We shared a dessert, it was the Pecan Pie with Maple Gelato. It was not a traditional PP, the meat of the pie was more cake like. However, it was delightful.

    While dining I needed to get up and use the restroom, so as I always do I folded my napkin in fourths and placed it on the table. I went to the restroom, which was an entire experience within itself. Each sex had two private little rooms, that were decorated to the max. Then in the common area was a large water fountain for washing your hands and the bonus treat, "Dyson Air-blade" dryers.

    When I returned to my table, I noticed my napkin had been re-folded the correct way and placed back on the table. The correct way to fold a napkin at The Publican is in thirds so the logo shows when napkin is placed on table. A small detail that I loved and that made me smile.

    I know I have rambled on this review, but words just could not capture this experience. As we were leaving the hostess again were charming, and I told them I was a Yelper. They said they'd watch for my posting, hope I didn't disappoint them.

    Closing side note: Salt and Pepper are not on the tables and when you ask for it you may get a funny look. My friend asked for some, but once the food arrived he realized he didn't need any - the food was perfect.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/25/2014

    We were there for a client dinner, so we made sure to share a plate from each side of the menu.  The Mussels were HUGE - definitely not GMO-free, but SOOO delicious in the garlic butter sauce.  A multitude of pork options, if you like red meat, this is not your place.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/27/2012
    2 check-ins

    I just ate here tonight, Five stars all the way! The staff is incredibly friendly, you feel so welcome just walking through the door. The ambiance is cool and hip - which I love and actually hadn't known what to expect.

    I ordered a porter and the server accidentally brought me an IPA which I drank without paying attention to. I asked about it because I was just curious and he asked me if i hadn't ordered it - I told him honestly no but I didn't mind, it was good. He took it off my tab - he didn't have to do that at all. I was obviously enjoying it and was just curious where it was from.

    Being in Chicago and from the Bay Area, I didn't want any seafood because most of it came from Half Moon Bay/Monterey. Everything I got was from Illinois and I appreciated the fact they had it written next to the menu.

    I started with the spice pork rinds which were really good - my mom would have loved them. I wish I could have sent them home to her. The frites with fried eggs on top are good, but honestly out of everything phenomenal there, I really could have done without it.

    Now the stars of the show were a Tomato dish with feta and other deliciousness (maybe a chmichurri sauce). The tomatoes were so fresh I couldn't believe it, it was almost like they were home grown. And then the pork belly, it was cooked to perfection in polenta with fresh currents and dandelion greens. Dandelion greens are really bitter if you have them on their own, but paired with a bite of pork belly, polenta and currents, it was amazing. The bitterness is gone and it just turns into a savory bite of one of the most delicious things you've ever eaten.

    I really want to go back to the Publican, but its honestly the first place I've tried in Chicago so I might have to give it a minute. But I do want to come back to Chicago just for it.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/10/2012
    1 check-in
    Listed in Chicago Part Deux

    My friends and I had a meal at the Publican on our recent visit to Chicago. We all enjoyed the meal very much.

    Service:
    The service was good. Our waiter was attentive and knew the menu well.

    Ambiance:

    The restaurant is a little loud, and much of the seating are community table. However, they have some booth available. The booths are unique in that they are closed off with doors.

    Food:
    The food was delicious. Everything is tapas style so they suggest you get 2-3 dishes per person. We ordered....

    Pork Rinds [yelp.com/user_local_phot… - Decent, but nothing special.

    Steak Tartare [yelp.com/user_local_phot… - The steak tartae was good, but I loved the deep friend boiled egg on top more!

    Jamon Serrano - Nice and simple. Fresh shaved Jamon Serrano and bread. Yum!

    Duck & Foie Gras Terrine[yelp.com/user_local_phot… - A good combination of duck meat and foie gras. The meaty duck help offset the richness of the foie gras.

    Ramps - Pretty much what you'd expect, but very flavorful.

    Softshell Crab [yelp.com/user_local_phot… - This was OK. A little on the salty side and not as crisp as I would have liked.

    Sea Bass [yelp.com/user_local_phot…- Moist and Meaty. Cooked very well.

    Pork Belly [yelp.com/user_local_phot… - My favorite dish of the night. Not too fatty. Glazed well, caramelized on the outside. Meaty with a nice salty sweet crust.

    Fish Stew [yelp.com/user_local_phot… - Perfectly cooked seafood. Mussles, Octopus, Fish, Clams, and Shrimp. Everything was cooked to perfection. Even the Octopus which I expected to be a little chewy was super tender. You could eat it without any teeth!

    Chocolate Cream Pie [yelp.com/user_local_phot… - YUM! My favorite dessert of the trip. A nice thick chocolate cream pie. Went perfect with the salty pretzel crust. Absolutely delicious!

    I definitely wouldn't mind eating here again. The food was great! There wasn't anything I did not like!

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/13/2013

    The food was amazing. One out of 2 front desk girls was nice ( hey, 50% good isnt bad...unless you are in school and then its an "F"...womp)
    Our server was really nice, but the food took a literal lifetime. we were there for 3 hours just for dinner and most of it was wait time. Luckily though, the server was kind and the food was delicious when it finally did come out. Close call, publican. better thank your lucky stars for good servers.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/14/2014

    We celebrated our Valentines Day on Thursday, 2/13 this year.  Although it took us 2 hours to drive in from Schaumburg, boy are we glad we finally made it.  Thank you to Anna the hostess who was able to seat us right away despite running late - thank you so much!!!  

    The decor I would describe as rustic, sort of the perfect template for a rustic wedding during the summer with beautiful lights and wooden tables and floors.  We started off by ordering a glass of wine Riesling (for me) and a German beer (for him).   We asked for our complimentary bread/butter and kicked off with pork rinds for an appetizer.  The spicy pork rinds - the best I've ever had, the typical Hispanic meat markets don't have anything on these (and yes I am Hispanic :)) - dare I say a hint of lemon and what looked like maybe cheese popcorn seasoning?  Nonethess so air fluffy that melted in your mouth and now I truly understand why Michael Simon recommended this off their menu!  Next the plates kept coming.  It's just enough for you to share with your dining mate without feeling too full.  We had the brussel sprouts (plated as a salad but beware it has raw onion (which I love) sprinkled with just the right amount of parmasean shavings, dungeness crab w/leeks in a romesco sauce (beware - stay away from white clothing if ordering this - its red),  an order of their famous oysters (I'm not into texture but my honey thought they were delicious and fresh of course!), and our main course was the whole chicken dinner (had enough to take home and enjoyed on V-day for lunch!).  

    We capped off our evening with 2 fantastic desserts!  We enjoyed the sticky coconut cake and chocolate chestnut cake.  Devine, delious, rich, smooth - all the makings of the most mouthwatering desserts you can think of!  

    We will definitely be back to Publican in the future!  Worth the drive for the AMAZING food and great service.  

    Thank you for providing us with the best Valentines Day dinner we've had!

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/29/2013

    After countless consistently solid brunches & dinners here, the Publican is definitely one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. The huge open space is why I love this city and the servers/bartenders wearing butcher lab coats creates an adorable context. The seating options are cute and great. The booths have their own doors, there's a standing bar area and of course huge communal tables. Communal tables are such a thing now, but if that means I can end up seated next to the mayor during a random weeknight dinner..then that's pretty cool.

    Anyways, the menu is delicious and someone at your table is bound to take out their phone to google a word and find out it's an animal's body part. For dinner, I love how the plates are made to share but come to your table looking like the opposite of Spanish tapas. It's more like huge pork chops on large blue and white porcelain plates, or a mountain of mussels that won't leave anyone hungry. Brunch here is just as awesome, and the lighting is ideal for those of you who like to obnoxiously take photographs of food. Speaking of food...sometimes I find myself randomly thinking about the oven baked sourdough pancake. It's served in a skillet and the pancake has bacon wrapped chicken. Too good.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/15/2014

    My experience with The Publican was mind blowing. I found that the dishes I had was common dishes, yet The Publican gave a little twist. Maybe, it was mind blowing because you don't expect these dishes to turn into something innovative. The kick of twist makes the food creative, yet approachable. The food here is not opulent, but it is so comforting and appeals to everyone.  

    We started with the Yellowtail Crudo, which was simple,clean, and delicious. Then we had a charcuterie plate. I enjoyed the selection of pickles and salami. Also, the mustard spread was amazing. It had a raspberry jam quality, which made spread savory and sweet. I just spread mustard on the bread with some butter. It was like a simple breakfast, but mustard made it unique.

    For our third dish, we had country fried egg with grilled asparagus. This classic dish was absolutely stunning and had a different approach with cooking the egg. The egg was crispy outside and soft inside with runny yolks. It was perfect. My final dish, excluding the dessert, was the pork belly. You cannot go wrong with pork belly. The juicy, flavorful, and tender tastes blind you why you need to eat healthy.  

    Lastly, the dessert was astonishing. The presentation of the dessert looked attractive, but not too impressive. Therefore,I did not expect too much and thought it will be just a cheesecake with sorbet. After the first bite with cheesecake, raspberry sorbet, and funnel cake, I was shocked. It was almost surreal.    

    I am so glad I tried this restaurant. The Publican is the best restaurant I tried in Chicago.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/6/2013

    Wow!! First time at the Publican, and I'm impress with the food and the service. Well done guys!!! I'll be back for sure.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/20/2014
    1 check-in

    Had the lobster scramble and hash browns. The lobster scramble was great-- a good size portion and very savory, not too rich. The hash was a little crispy and oily for my taste, but still yummy.  Also loved the feel of the communal tables and very friendly service. We'll be back to enjoy some beers soon!

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/11/2013

    Nice place but I thought the globed ceiling reminded me too much of Dr Who (random geek observation)

    2.bp.blogspot.com/-ViCKi…

    Beer wise the selection was decent but compared to CO or Seattle considered plain.

    Food wise I thought the charcuterie plate was flat all the way around, but their pâté-ish dishes were pretty solid. The heirloom tomatoes with balsamic were awesome...but as a carnivore, who goes to a place for the veg plate?

    Lavender sorbet did the trick but again flat.  Over all not awesome but good enough to try.  I'd go back only to try the beef tartare because that did look awesome. My comparison point is Walrus and Carpenter in Seattle (granted known for oysters but their charcuterie plate blew this away)

    And not a negative but the communal sinks in the bathroom were cool but I was waiting for (insert geek ref again) Moaning Myrtle to appear.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/28/2013
    Listed in Best of Chicago

    As brunch lovers, we were excited to check out the Publican. Little did we know that the place would consist of long communal tables and high chairs which brings the words "medieval" and "game of thrones" to mind. We were able to make a reservation through OpenTable and were surprised to find the place not too busy on a Saturday morning.

    Even though there was only 2 of us, we ordered 3 dishes with a side of bacon:
    1) oven baked sourdough pancake (bacon wrapped chicken thigh, breakfast sausage & Burton's maple syrup) - absolutely no regrets as this dish was delicious, succulent, and gastronomically fantastic.
    2) smoked arctic char (grilled snap peas, radish, feta yogurt, poached egg & paprika) - a lighter dish yet still delicious.
    3) pork schnitzel (boquerones, watercress, fried egg & warm bacon vinaigrette)

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/15/2013
    1 check-in

    During a weekend visit to Chicago several college friends and I met up for an early evening dinner at The Publican. It was a pleasant, warm summer evening and we sat outside chatting for several hours while we feasted on some good food. The family style dining concept worked out well, allowing us to try several of their entrees and desserts while juggling the platters on a small table. They brought the food out in a staggered fashion such that we were eating for quite a while. We started with the arctic char with serrano ham, the asparagus with olives, the sirloin and the farm chicken with frites. By far the best bites were from the sirloin and the chicken. The huge wood roasted chicken was sliced and seasoned to perfection.  It was complemented by the generous helping of fries underneath which soaked up all the good juice from the chicken. Dessert consisted of the chocolate tart, which was full of chocolate, caramel and peanut goodness and toasted marshmallow.  We also split the vanilla vacherin, which was a strange combination of meringue, orange sherbet, rhubarb ice cream, whipped cream, strawberries and a candied orange peel. Surprisingly, it worked.

    The Publican offers a fantastic menu but the table service needs serious work. Our waiter was visibly preoccupied with other tables, accepting orders from fellow servers as we attempted to clarify questions about the menu. The busboy swiped our drinks, which we were still drinking and we had to call out to him to bring them back. We were assuming that he was just trying to clear our table, but that was a bit rude. For those reasons, I had to dock a star.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/12/2012

    For years, I've been hearing rave reviews from friends about the Publican brunch. I finally made it over to this third West Loop institution of Paul Kahan's a few weekends ago to check out the menu for myself. I was not disappointed.

    Luckily, I went with a friend who could pull her weight for sharing plates, so we got to try a good portion of the menu. The chef's selection of oysters was marvelous. Preparation was spot on and we got a good variety of quality from all over Canada and New England. A ricotta bread with apples, mint and honey was dense with flavor, yet still springy in texture so as not to completely weigh down our bellies before we got to the rest of our food. The steak with fried egg, ramps, fingerling potatoes and romesco sauce was amazing. As was the chorizo flatbread with cumin raita, onion, cucumber. All of these dishes were well-proportioned and the relatively unusual ingredients for your typical brunch were impressively harmonious in each plate.

    The Publican maple-syrup-braised bacon deserves its own separate ode - savory, salty, fatty and crispy pork belly is always good, but the quality of the meat (and maybe the braising in maple syrup) made it something extra special. Hash browns were pretty standard. I liked that they had some exclusive options from  Rare Tea Cellars and I tried the Pue-rh, which was awesome. Still though, the bill kind of killed our wallets, which is probably why I haven't made it over here until now, and won't likely be in for a while.

    We loved the patio seating. We also loved the fact that it was nice enough to sit outside and enjoy the patio seating, but that's more a Chicago thing than a Publican thing. Decor inside looked cute as expected, but the room was pretty noisy. Outside was much more conducive to a mellow morning conversation and meal.

    Note: Publican Quality Meats is just right across the street, so you can have brunch and still get some fancy grocery shopping done all in a weekend morning's work. I know I did...

  • 3.0 star rating
    7/23/2013

    The food was decent. I enjoyed their summer sausage, half roasted chicken, and the citrus salad. The Publican also has one of the most extensive beer and wine lists that I have ever seen, which is totally a plus.

    My only real gripe is that the service we had was HORRIBLE. My group and I waited over two and a half hours and I didn't receive my entree until about two hours in...after my entire party had eaten. The server told me something that sounded like a lie (something about it taking longer because it was a center cut piece. it was a stew, not a single piece so i have no idea who she thought she was fooling) my lamb was eventually brought to us. And the temperature was questionably uneven...like it either sat under a lamp too long or was stuck in a microwave. There were parts around the bowl that were scolding hot and the middle was lukewarm, and there was an obvious film on it when I went to dip my spoon into it. THAT IS NOT OKAY WHEN YOU'RE SPENDING $30 A PLATE.

    The food was decent enough, but the service was definitely not up to par. I came all the way from Florida and had the publican on our to-do list, since my boyfriend and I are both foodies. The Pelican came tragically short of the expectations made by all of those James Beard awards hanging up on the wall. I would not go there again, nor would I recommend it to anyone else.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/16/2014

    The ambiance is welcoming along with the community style tables. There is endless coffee that pleases and reminds of an offering when welcoming guests into your home. The waffles were light, fluffy with crispy outer layer. The bacon was INCREDIBLE, perfectly tender, crispy on the outside and drenched in syrup. Additionally, the steak was again, perfectly cooked and tender. Caution to order a variety with who you are dining with for a great, well-rounded experience.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/4/2012

    Let me just say...wow!

    While visiting a friend in Chicago he took me here for dinner and this place is phenomenal! The service is impeccable, the food orgasmic and the style/layout is...FUN!

    The Publican has the appearance of an oversized, well organized wooded cafeteria with a bit of a Texas stable feel. There's a large, open dining room connected to the bar with a massive table designed for more communal seating. If you're a prude and want to avoid this experience, (DO NOT!) there are several booths which also have wooden swinging doors. I recommend sitting collectively. My friend and I were able to inspire our two different adjacent neighbors to go outside their comfort zone with their choices, based on what we were eating, ending successfully with much thanks for our interesting palates.

    We had sooo much food and all, but the octopus, was amazing! With respect to the octopus, we were not expecting what we received but that was due to our own assumptions, no fault of the restaurant at all. My favorite item was the little gem salad. It was such a simple salad but quite possibly the best one I've ever had! The pig's ear was the perfect touch of salt to the creamy, light dressing and left you feeling "prepared" for the next course. My other favorite item was the duck hearts. My first time and much more flavorful and less chewy than chicken hearts.

    I'm not sure I can really organize myself to write about this restaurant. I will say that I ate about a third of the menu and was beyond satisfied. If you're looking for fine dining and great service in an eclectic environment then look no further.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/2/2014

    Excellent service, creating and interesting food, and really special beers. I sampled a young, unblended lambic imported directly from Belgium, as well as a delicious collaboration between the Publican and New Belgium (Boomhut). Very knowledgeable staff and a fun, lively environment. Had high expectations which were pleasantly exceeded!

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/1/2012
    1 check-in

    **based on one visit**

    I've been eyeing this place since I arrived in Chicago, but just never went... and I'm kicking myself that I didn't go earlier.

    The space inside is modern rustic, just like the food. Most "tables" are seated at a huge community table. I know some people hate the community table, but at the Publican, the table turns every so often, creating a semblance of some privacy for your group.

    Our reservation was for 930pm, so I was starving. I wanted to order EVERYTHING on the menu. We settled on seven dishes for our party of three (well, it does say that the plates are to share, so...) and our waiter kindly pointed out that we wouldn't need more than 3-4 dishes. He was very helpful in helping us narrow down our choices.

    1) Mussels with celery, garlic, and yummy broth. Served with very fresh, hot, crusty bread that is perfect for sopping up the deliciousness of the broth. (half order)

    2) Fried clams with fried green tomatoes & arugula. How did they manage such crispy breading w/o making it greasy at all?

    3) Farm chicken with summer sausage and frites. OMG this chicken was cooked perfectly. It was so tender and juicy. The sausage was smoky. The frites were crunchy and great to soak up the juiciness of the chicken. (half order. these are big chickens if that was a half).

    4) Summer corn with lime, aioli, parmesan and magic. It comes in a tiny bowl, but it's really rich. I know. it's corn. But it's soooo good.

    We all ordered a drink (beer, beer, and cider) which were great choices to wash down all this delicious food. We were severely tempted by the dessert menu, but I would've had to change into pajama pants to eat another bite. I think Joey Tribbiani would tell you to wear your "meat pants" if you plan to come here!!

    Total was about 30pp before tip. I thought it was pretty reasonable for the top-notch quality and the amount of food at one of the more popular restaurants in Chicago.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/21/2014

    The best brunch I've had in Chicago. Try the pancake thingy that's topped with meat!

  • 3.0 star rating
    7/7/2013
    1 check-in

    Food:  Overpriced for what you get but there was one dish that I would shell out the asking price for.  Get the ham plate with all three hams.  It is phenomenal.  Also ask for table bread.  It is much better than the bread they serve with the ham and it is complimentary.  Don't bother with the fried green tomatoes (bland) or pork ribs (barely an ounce of meat on them).  We also tried the Chicago-style char dog.  I wouldn't recommend it.  The dog itself was delicious but you can't take credit for a Vienna beef.  The toppings were embarrassing - you can't call yourself a Chicago dog when you don't even have mustard!  

    Drinks:  Good beer on tap (zombie dust!) but mediocre wine by the glass selection.  Once again, overpriced.

    Service:  Not great.  Our server was friendly but dropped the ball on two of our dishes.  It took forever to receive the tomatoes ("Did you guys get those tomatoes yet") and we waited forever for the char dog.  He even came up and asked if we would like to see the dessert menu...to which we responded maybe... but we would like the char dog first.  He did comp us for both of these, which was nice but also expected.

    Ambience:  Trendy but not overwhelmingly so.  It was much more causal than I expected and I liked that.  But, if you wanted to get a little dressy (we're not talking suits here, folks) that would be cool too.  

    Other:  If you don't have reservations and are jonesin' to go here, have no fear.  They have "standing tables" that you can eat at.  The catch?  Obviously you have to stand and there is a limited menu.  If you prefer to sit, you can put your name in for a bar seating, which I believe is non-reservation only.  Although the "reserved" seats look cool (carrels for tables of four), the bar seating is totally doable for a party of 2.  Anything more and I wouldn't recommend sitting at the bar.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 5.0 star rating
    5/29/2014

    Absolutely delicious! Everything was wonderful. Great service too, our waiter was very attentive and knowledgable about their food and drink menu. Helpful and concerned as well regarding some food allergies, we felt very confident in his report back from the kitchen.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/11/2014

    A great brunch spot! We had the lobster scramble and pimento cheese toast. Soooo good! It was my favorite meal during my Chicago visit! Fun atomosphere as well!

  • 2.0 star rating
    7/15/2014

    If you are into small portions and slow service and are not interested in talking to your dinner companions ( INCREDIBLY noisy...) then this place is for you. Since the quality of the food does not make up for these MAJOR shortcomings I will take my business elsewhere. I will take a happy, full belly over a headache from auditory overstimulation any day of the year.....

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/11/2014

    These guys are the masters of meat.  Our dinner was a tour de force of pork four ways, lamb, beef.. and a side of seasonal ramp.  Start with the fresh pork rinds.  Go directly to ham 3 ways if you love prosciutto...(if you don't love prosciutto, you should probably not be eating in Chicago, hog butcher of the world).  Beer selection was as good as the meat selection, and the service was friendly, knowledgeable and professional.  Despite being a large and crowded room, not too noisy for conversation.  We closed the place down - dinner began at 9:30 and ended at midnight, and our waiter refused to hurry us or in any way try to urge us to finish up.  Definitely on the spendy side, but well worth it.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/25/2013

    I've wanted to try the Publican ever since it opened, and finally it all came together.

    First off, I would totally go back.  I liked most of items we ordered and I'd like to have some of them again as well as try some other options on the menu.

    Our table of 5 had (hope I can remember it all):

    Country Ham, full taste:  A plate of ham served with goat butter and peasant bread.  I liked it quite a bit, and would have it again.

    Scallops:  Very nice.  Dish had 4 large scallops, perfect.

    Squid:  I love squid, and enjoyed the dish despite it being a little more dry than I expected, but when I make squid I tend to keep it tender, Asian style.  I think other parts of the world prepare it differently, and I believe this was grilled.

    Chicken Liver Pate:  I love pate, so I have a huge bias.  I loved their pate and I would have to order it again the next time I go.  It was really perfect, and the bread which was like a sourdough paired well with it.

    Charcuterie Plate:  Not something I ordered, but I nibbled and enjoyed it.  I've had charcuterie over the years and this was right there.

    Beef short rib:  I liked it, very savory, and I monopolized this at the end of the night.

    Porkbelly:  I love pork belly, I've made it at home.  A big chunk of fatty salty pig.  Bacon/ Pancetta/ Porkbelly foodies will have to order this.

    I drove so I limited myself to having two beers, had ___ IPA (I need to find out the name and edit my review).  I'm not usually an IPA, but this one was great.  It had big flavor, a lot of hmmm zest?  Haha,  This beer kept up with our largely salty entrees and I could have had another.

    All in all, I was impressed.  The portions were large by Chicago standards, the restaurant was cool, and sitting at communal tables was just fine.  

    If I wrote an article called "25 Chicago Restaurants You Must Try," Publican would easily make the list as it checks all of my boxes... Dishes that hook my inner foodie, portion size and price points were great, attentive staff, dishes were paced well, and it's fun.  Sure it's a wee bit loud and I frankly got lost in the beer menu, I was overwhelmed with the choices, but that's a good thing right?

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/22/2011
    1 check-in

    Came for Sunday Brunch
    **even with a RSVP we waited 15 min for our table**
    Spicy Pork Rinds-cheesey & not that spicy but good!
    Egg & frites - fried eggs on french fries (french fries taste like bacon)
    waffles -delicious with honey butter
    red wine poached egg-my friends loved it
    weiswurst-the bretzel was soft and warm, my friends loved the sauce and wurst
    publican bacon-very sweet from maple

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/26/2014

    I love everything about this place! The food is PHENOMENAL and the menu changes regularly to incorporate local fare that is in season. The atmosphere is rustic, but sophisticated. Booths on along the walls of the restaurant accommodate 4 and community tables in the center can accommodate a party of any size. There are also tall tables without chairs for groups that don't mind standing while they eat/drink.

    I have been to The Publican twice. The first time I went for Saturday brunch with my boyfriend. I recommend starting with a Bloody Mary and some oysters. My man ordered a breakfast skillet and the bacon and savored every bite. The second time I went with a friend for a Thursday night dinner more recently. We started with the asparagus side dish and razor clams - both awesome. My halibut entree was fantastic and my friend's lab looked and smelled divine.

    I highly recommend The Publican! This restaurant would be great for a group or a date. It's a very versatile place.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/7/2013

    Superior brunch. We had Duck Confit, Red Wine poached eggs, Pho, and Bacon. Everything was really amazing.

    It also is a very well-designed space with cool enclosed booths, nice lighting, and a wide-open feel. The staff was very friendly and accommodating.

  • 1.0 star rating
    1/20/2014

    We just had a horrible experience. We came for brunch with a large group. We had reservations and they split our party into two different groups in spaces far fro each other which made everything awkward. Really that just ruined it. The food was meh. I ordered the corn dog. It was just alright. It came out cold and the flavor was nothing to write home about. My friends had the same feelings about the cuisine. The items they ordered were hit or miss. Servers were rude on top of it all. I'm won't be going back and I'd recommend you to another place.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/15/2013
    1 check-in

    Very unusual, yet extremely tasty menu. The beer menu is very strong. Well worth visiting this place. I loved the very simple, yet comfortable interior. My only complaint is the seating at the bar area. You sit very low and can't see much in the bar area. Also, it is difficult to be served multiple plates while sitting near the bar. Oysters were incredible and very fresh. Service was great.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/8/2014

    Good place, Good Food, Good experience

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/10/2012
    1 check-in

    Went here with a few friends of mine and I liked this place. We got a ton of food so we could try it everything. A few notes...

    -Amazing beer selection
    -I had just come from California and had the best oysters of my life. I was skeptical of the ones here but was pleasantly surprised
    -The scallops were bomb
    -Pork rinds were yummy
    -Portions are suuuuper tiny and expensive
    -The white sausage was my favorite thing on the menu, easily

    Soooo yes. I'll be coming back. The staff is also very knowledgeable, so much so that we basically let our waitress tell us how many plates to get and well, she basically ordered for us.

    Also, just to be aware, there are group tables so you kind of sit with random people sometimes, very Hoffbrau Haus of them. I also felt like an animal when in the bathroom stall. Very weird.

    Overall, very good, but not for everyday dinners. It was a little expensive for the amount of food which was annoying.

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/12/2013
    1 check-in

    "You want what?!  What?!  Beer?!"  If you want a night full of intimate conversation with your table-mates, The Publican might not be the best choice for you.  If you are looking to avoid intimate conversation with your spouse or loved one, this might just be the perfect place for you!  While the restaurant has a wonderfully, open atmosphere, that same open atmosphere makes for an incredibly loud environment.  I was impressed that we were about an hour earlier than our reservation time & they happily seated us quickly.

    Our waiter wasn't entirely knowledgeable about the beer list.  Which, for a fancy shmancy restaurant like this (at least fancy shmancy to my spouse & I, since we are newlyweds, just starting out), I would think the staff would know more about their selections.  The waiter did let us know at the start of the meal that the food is meant to be shared, which was good info.  So, we started our meal off with the "Frites" (fancy shmancy talk for "Fries").  They were served with some sort of aioli sauce which was super tasty.  The fries were just the right ratio of crunch to potato-ey goodness.  So tasty!

    We then had the Guinea Hen with faro, pomegranate & dandelion greens.  Having watched way too many cooking competition shows, I know that cooking a hen properly is a challenge.  And, unfortunately, The Publican, too, fell short on this one.  The Hen was super dried out.  You know that scene in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation where the family is all chewing on the dried out turkey carcass like it's turkey jerky?  Yeah, like that.  But, the fixings, the accompanying stuff on the plate was super tasty.  I had never had faro.  I had to look up what it was.  I must say, I'm now a fan.  

    I did want to steal the next table's ham plate sampler with goat butter & peasant bread.  It was also amusing watching the girl at the next table try to eat raw oysters for the first time, taking thme out of the shell & cutting them into quarters before putting them in her mouth.  Hmmm...

    We ended our meal with my favorite part of the meal, a cheese plate.  This wasn't just cheese on a plate.  We had the Dante cheese plate.  The cheese was delicious!  And I must admit here, that I'm a bit of a cheesehead.  And it made me close my eyes & savor each bite.  The cheese plate had several different items on it to accompany the cheese which included apples, a fruit/nut bread, nuts, a delicious fruity jam, etc.  Each item on the plate changed the taste experience.  Totally a party in my mouth.  YAY!  

    I would say, if I were to go back again, I would go there for drinks, appetizers & dessert (my cheese plate), but I would skip the main course next time.  For all the hype that this place has gotten around here, I thought it would be a bit better.  However, it's a still a great place to go.  Just not as great as I thought it would be.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/6/2012

    I struggled with what to give Publican because while it was definitely good, I was expecting better with all the rave reviews I've heard.  The two people I was with had both been there prior and said the last time was better (so it sounds to be inconsistent).  However, I do think it's above average so while I think it's a 3.5, rounding up to 4 since the service was very good and they have a cheap wine list.  It was a bit frustrating they were out of quite a bit of the Italian wines though.  I'd put it on par with Girl and the Goat.

    For food we had the mussels, which were probably my least favorite thing there.  Some of them weren't cleaned properly and they were rather small.  The ahi tuna crudo was exceptional though so I'd say those two fish dishes cancel each other out.  :)  I gave my boss the choice between three 'adventurous' dishes: beef heart, blood sausage, and sweetbreads.  He chose the blood sausage and I'm glad he did because I think that was my favorite thing there.  Highly recommend.  Also very tasty was the boudin blanc.  We also had the liver pate, which was okay and the rilettes, which I was not a fan of.  I thought it was going to be more of a duck pate but the texture was that of tuna salad so it was difficult to get past.  I was underwhelmed by a few dishes but thought some of them were very good so overall not as good as I expected but still solid.

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/30/2014

    Good place. Went as a big group. So, we tried just about everything.  Recommend visiting but the menu was a little limited. You definitely need to keep an open mind.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/11/2013

    I've been so many times for dinner and this place always deliver high quality food. I like that the staff is so helpful and friendly, plus this place always has so much positive energy with tons of patrons coming in and out. My favorites here are the chicken, which is flavorful but not heavy, the assorted meats which are some of the best meats in town, and the oysters - fresh and light. The beer selection is massive and the servers are knowledgeable about the unique choices.

    I love this spot.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/23/2013
    Listed in Top Restaurants

    Older review.  We came some time ago with two good friends who suggested this place.  Nice space, the communal tables were fine, took a little getting used to, but we forgot all about it the minute the food arrived, which was pretty good.  We got the short ribs, scallops, a few other things I can't remember right now, but the chicken was the tastiest.  The dishes are a substantial size, so the four of us got good samples of every plate.  Service was good.  Had a very enjoyable time.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/24/2013

    Upon arriving for our reservation, we were struck by the magnificent dining room. The walls were covered in a terracotta like embossed print, a long gold-lined bar sat in front of the open kitchen, and bright globe lambs hung in a rectangular cluster in the center of the room.  Seating is essentially a small number of walnut booths equipped with their own saloon style doors, a few stand alone deuces and four-tops, a set of wooden communal tables organized into a rectangle with matching high-backed chairs and a few cocktail standing tables for drinking and snacks. As for décor, it's all about the swine. No sexy mirrors, no eclectic trinkets, just a few large paintings of even larger pigs.  A very appropriate way to commemorate the Jewish sins we were about to commit (just in case we didn't get our fix at the Purple Pig). From inside our little saloon cove, we felt the entire experience to be decidedly quite comfortable, warm and welcoming and the service to follow suit.
    Our server was adorably cheerful for a dreary Saturday morning, helping us with our tourist inquiries and mapping out our shopping route for us. He also ensured our water and coffee cups were consistently replenished, and that side plates and cutlery were plentiful.
    Speaking of drinks, the Publican offers all the morning classics- mimosas, G+ Ts, Bloody Marry, juice, coffee and tea. No cappuccino machine, unfortunately, so I had to opt for basic drip ($3), which I found a little bitter for my taste.  Thankfully, the food helped make up for it with a little extra salt and sugar to balance everything out. The Publican's brunch menu reads like a #foodporn fantasy, taking greasy spoon favourites up a few notches on the sexy scale. With global cuisine influences from Italy, Eastern Europe, Asia, there were no shortage of tempting picks- the challenge for us was going to try to be sensible and not order the entire menu for two. With a little help from our server, we ended up going with:

    Smoked Arctic Char, Grilled Snap Peas, Radish, Yogurt, Poached Egg & Charmoula ($16)
    A light and refreshing start to the day. Once cracked into, the yolk added incredible richness to the tangy yogurt, the fresh green peas, and the slightly bitter radish.  The fish had a lovely sweetness to it that was balanced out by the herbaceous and bright charmoula and a bit of aromatic curry seasoning throughout. If you're looking for a lighter brunch option, this would be ideal.

    Oven Baked Sourdough Pancake with Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Thigh, Breakfast Sausage, Burton's Maple Syrup ($13)
    And if you're not looking for a light, healthy option, this is the one to choose. But believe me, it's totally worth it. The pancake was fluffy on the side, but deliciously crispy on the sides and bottom from a good searing in the cast iron pan. The bacon thighs and sausage were sweet, salty and just soaked up all that maple syrup to yield one unapologetically delicious bite. Love, love, love.

    Pub Pretzel with Lady Chris' Pimento Cheese ($4)
    A stark shift in flavour profile from the latter dish, but still a pretty tasty snack. My first bite of the pimento cheese reminded me a bit of Cheez Whiz, but it wasn't long before I was hooked. The pretzel itself was really tasty- nice and tender inside, with a good satisfying chew on the surface. Yum.
    So for 2 coffees, an OJ, 2 mains and a side, the bill came to about $50 including tax and tip. Not a cheapo diner breakfast, but definitely a worth-while meal. I loved the Eastern European communal atmosphere, and the food offerings were both familiar yet intriguing. Thanks Publican for getting us through a food coma with more delicious food. I would definitely be up for a repeat visit (maybe for dinner or late night drinks) any time I'm in Chicago again. Cheers!

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/13/2014

    Best beer selection in Chicago.  Sit  at the counter and have them pair beers with your meal. Fantastic.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/26/2011
    2 check-ins

    The Publican is a lot of fun. I've been twice now, having been turned onto it by Chicagoland friends. The beer list is extensive and varied: my fave is the Three Floyds Gumball Head because of the local flavor.

    Today we had:

    Hamachi and grapefruit: wonderful
    Fries with egg: stupid good
    Couscous with beef tongue and other meats:  savory but all the meats save the tongue were too fatty for my taste; that is my own ethnocentrism however
    Radish salad: tasty and fresh with the greens; raw
    Beats:  good but nothing special
    Steak tartar: fennel and radishes; this was amazingly savory and really popped

    Definitely worth a visit.....before you try to squeeze into the Girl and the Goat, come to the Publican

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/5/2013

    A-OK rating? for The Publican?! Yes, yes I know. But what can I say, we had a decent experience here, but nothing to really merit giving it an outstanding rating.

    We went for Saturday brunch and were immediately herded to the awkward stand-and-wait coffee area in the center of the entire dining room. Among other things, this is just an awkward concept. It seems like it would be much less awkward to place the standing areas towards the exterior of the restaurant... or maybe just have a seated / bar waiting area, but hey, maybe that's just me. Maybe other people actually prefer standing in the center of a large crowd of seated people. Who knows.

    To follow up the awkward wait, I was fully ready to dive into some outstanding food (I'd had enough 'standing' already, ha ha haaa...), but, this is where the Publican fell short in terms of my expectations. They were out of the bone marrow hash at this point, so that was disappointing, instead I opted for the pork schnitzel with peas. It was good, crispy, fairly tender - just not any different from any other schnitzel I've ever had. We also tried the summer squash with scrambled eggs, ricotta, and pesto - which we actually preferred over the schnitzel, good flavor all around. The last dish I got to try was the sourdough pancake with bacon wrapped chicken thigh and breakfast sausage. This was definitely good - there was just a lot going on which made it a very rich / heavy dish, could have used something to help balance the heavy meats.

    But yeah, as I said - it was all definitely good, I think it was just a little underwhelming overall considering our expectations going in. Certainly wouldn't mind trying it again for dinner, as opposed to brunch, though

    Overall Grade: B

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/11/2013

    I was in Chicago on business when the Publican was recommended to me by a local. So we stopped it ordered some apps and oysters and a few Saison Duponts and sat back in this wonderful communal sitting area. The power went out for a bit but it kind of added to the feel of the restaurant! Weird! It came back on and you could tell no one in the restaurant was going to leave whether the power was on or off. Really awesome experience and I look forward to going back!

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/19/2014

    Like this place, but hate the seating arrangement. Just not my thing. The meats are good, as is much of the menu. Just don't like how close they sit you next to people with the picnic table style seating.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/16/2012 Updated review
    4 check-ins

    This is one of my favorite restaurants in the city.  I've visited for dinner, and brunch and I've been nothing but pleased.  I even don't mind waiting (too much...) at the cute little bar area!

    The food is always wonderful - though we were a bit upset about the lack of pork rinds on Saturday morning...but the rest of the food made up for it.   The brunch flatbread - WOW!  

    Service is always exceptional along with the food.  Definitely a must visit!

    5.0 star rating
    3/28/2011 Previous review
    Food heaven!

    I was so excited to visit the Publican after a long wait!  I was finally able to enjoy…
    Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    5/24/2013
    1 check-in

    It's my first time visiting to chi-town and I got lots of recommendations to the publican.  Being a brunch lover, not only does the food have to be yum, but the atmosphere needs to be on par too.  The Publican didn't disappoint.  Cute location (there's a donut shop close by!!) and decor.  They have long community tables and enclosed booth seating for a little more privacy.

    Now to the food:
    Truffle egg fatunta- in simple words, a delish egg scramble, came with a side mint salad, which was a great pairing.
    Soft Shell Crab Sandwich- the one bite I tried of my friend's sandie was really good!  Soft Shell Crab was crispy and light... YUM!
    Bone Marrow Hash: fried egg on anything is good. bone marrow was a little heavy for brunch for me, but still really good.
    Side of Bacon: Legit!  I love me a good piece of bacon.  With a little maple on there... YUM!!
    Friends got the mimosa and they said said it hit the spot! Came with a beer to pair with it... worth it!

    With that said, this is def a nice spot for brunch and would come back!

    p.s. they have great bathrooms too! :)

  • 3.0 star rating
    11/4/2013

    I was here on Saturday night. The ambiance is pretty great! The lighting, temperature, music... all on par!

    We had the half charcuterie (fyi, there isn't any cheese on this bad boy) but everything on it was good. The pork rinds are amazing. Chef selection oysters were good. We had the swordfish which was fine, not great. But I guess we should've ordered meat instead of seafood. Noted.

    The bus boys and food runners were fantastic! Better than our server. As we all know, service can make or break a place. Our server started off fine, but then she seemed to forget about us. We wanted to keep a menu just in case we wanted to order another side. We understood that if we ordered a meat dish late in our meal it would take a while, but we wanted the option to order something smaller if needed. She took our menus. After we were finished, the ever so observant and awesome bus boys bussed our table. We had water, which is great but wanted another drink. Our server came by, put dessert menus on the table and left. She didn't even give us the opportunity to order another drink. When she came back (10 minutes later) we told her we were ready for our check and she said "Oh I'm sorry, did I keep you waiting?" Of course she knew she kept us waiting...

    Will probably visit again someday but I'm definitely not dying to go back.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/30/2013
    1 check-in

    We had Saturday night dinner and it was late in the evening so there was no wait. Started with the Oysters and they were very informative of what area each oyster came from.. All very fresh and not too watery..

    Had the pork belly which had a rich glaze that I found amazing.

    Also had the Blood sausage which I thought were cooked perfectly. I would recommend this place if you are into pork although they had alot of alternatives to swine.

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/26/2013

    I was so looking forward to having brunch at the Publican because my first time here was amazing, but this trip seemed a little disappointing to me. Sunday brunch is always crowed. We thought we were lucky to have a reservation. We went in on time but table was not ready yet, so they let us wait by the standing table which was supposed for us to order drinks and stuffs, but NO ONE served us. We basically just stood there for about 15 mins without even a glass of water...

    About the food... Again, a very long wait. About 20 mins for three people. I order the braised lamb, which was almost cold when it was on my table. The meat was little too dry. After all, I have to say they really have amazing drinks and coffee.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/27/2013

    I may never wash my mouth again!

    ...OK, I lied. I've brushed my teeth twice since going to the Publican last night. It felt wrong to do so...but enough about my excellent oral hygiene.

    This place was everything that the hype suggested. Chicken Liver Pate was unreal. So smooth and consistent, accented with just the right amount of tart from the fruit on the plate. Excellent selection of oysters; we sampled both east and west coast style for fun. I couldn't believe my group spent so much time talking about the vegetables that ACCOMPANIED the short rib, but they deserved some serious recognition. The menu was well balanced between land and sea meats. Both varieties were executed flawlessly. Oh, and order yourself some ham!

    Our server (I'm a jerk and forgot his name) was not only knowledgeable and courteous but he seemed sincerely excited about what the Publican offered. I never felt like anything was being presented as a sales pitch, it felt like I was just having a casual conversation with a friend who LOVES food! The beer recommendation was also spot on - I had a trappist to start and their 100 Horses ale during dinner.

    If you want to get a glimpse into what your meal will consist of it's a good idea to check out the Publican Quality Meats across the street before you eat. Be warned: it will make you very hungry!

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/20/2013

    The mussel is unbelievably good!

    So is their farm chicken. It is the first time that the the highlight of the dinner is the chicken!

    Their pork dish is also top of the line for the American cuisine. Unfortunately, coming from a country where we eat every part of the pig with every method imaginable under the sun, I am not particularly impressed.

    That said, top notch dining experience with reasonable price tag.

    Would love to go back for the brunch and the legendary thick cut bacon.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/10/2012
    1 check-in

    Came here on a Sunday night with a few buddies of mine and we got seated in one of the closed in booths along the wall, quite unique.  There majority of the venue was bug long community seating tables.

    The atmosphere was quite noisy inside with all the community seating.  There aren't many couple tables, so maybe not too great for a date.

    Our waiter was really accommodating and great.  Service was pretty good.

    Between 4 guys we ordered quite a few dishes.

    Pork rinds- pretty good, no complaints
    Steak tartare- just okay, nothing too spectatular
    Jamon Serrano- i'm partial to jamon and I love it everywhere, can't go wrong with a little bread
    Duck & Foie gras terrine- big chunks of duck and foie gras, pretty good if your into foie gras
    Ramps- great flavor and sauce pairing with it
    Softshell crab- delish but was very salty
    Pork belly- by far my favorites dish, MUST GET this dish!  Fatty richness and a camelized sugary glaze on it, to die for
    Fish Stew- very tender shrimp, octopus and a whole variety of seafood, a little salty as well though

    Finished it off with a cream pie dessert.  Overall a great meal, I think it was like... 70 bucks a person in the end but I loved the meal.  I can't wait to come again and try some of their other dishes!

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/13/2013

    I try not to review places i've only been to one time, but this becomes a problem when I don't really have a desire to go back. Do pork grinds, beer and bacon constitute a culinary triumph? Call me a poor sport but I didn't enjoy being escorted and locked in a booth like cattle. Did you? I'd probably have a different opinion if it wasn't so easy to rack up a huge tab in this place. I could care less about the location, which is obviously a factor here. I don't know, the whole experience was a little confusing.

    Bottom line: I need to open a competing spot in River North that has young business professionals eating high quality swine (if there is such a thing) right out of a trough because Chicagoans clearly will pay anything to be fed, and treated like, farm animals, especially if it's in a good location.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/29/2014
    1 check-in

    This place is amazing. Food is great. What you expect in chicago with respect to fresh meats. Wouldn't order the shrimp, only thing not worth the value. The assorted ham plate and cheeses were awesome. The 64 day dry aged porterhouse melted in your mouth. Look out for the waiter who looks like Vinney Chase, he is top notch. Only consideration is price, but a meal full of meats and fresh veggies is going to run high anywhere. You feel full after, but not like an Italian pasta filled full. Would recommend to all.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/29/2013
    1 check-in

    Fantastic and delicious love everything about Publican!!!

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/1/2010

    P: ork rinds and frites were our sides of choice.  Both were a little greasy, and we've had better elsewhere too.  :o(
    U: m, for a $27 brunch, I wanted to be...
    B: lown away!  But I was unblown.
    L: ively atmosphere.  Energetic noise level!
    I: enjoyed the fresh squeezed OJ, but wish it was pulpier.
    C: afeteria-like long tables would describe the seating decor.  The wooden chairs with high backs and tables give it a rustic feel.  For some reason, it specifically reminded me of Notre Dame University's caf.  .... Yeah, I dunno.
    A: n A- for the pastrami short rib.  It had a nice grilled flavor to it.  The red wine poached egg dish could have had something saucier served with it.  We were left with a few bites of dry bread at the end.
    N: apkins are embroidered with 'The Publican' on them.  Coolio.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/24/2012
    1 check-in

    Two friends were visiting from Doha, Qatar, and wanted to get their share of some pork. Not being able to enjoy pork in an Islamic country like Qatar, I agreed to take them to Publican, although my pescatarian palate was not going to allow me to indulge.

    They had the flight of hams: a Tennessee ham, a Virginia ham, and a ham representing another state that escapes me. The Tennessee ham, they said, was salty but good. The Virginia ham was the first that induces a smile on their faces. The third ham apparently reminded them of some ham they'd had in Spain, for they spoke of how it melted on their tongues. Needless to say, they were quite happy.

    For their main entrée, they ordered a whole chicken. Not being a rabid pescatarian, I sampled a piece and was quite satisfied. The chicken had been rubbed or marinaded in oregano. You'd think that oregano was only for spaghetti sauce. Apparently not as far as Publican goes. Succulent, juicy, tender: three words that came to mind while tasting the chicken. I had a grilled Atlantic char that reminded me of salmon. Cooked thoroughly without me having to request it to be cooked so, I was incredibly happy with my order. Served with radishes and sea salt the way they're served in France, I was even more pleased. The grilled asparagus that I had in addition made the trip to Publican all the more grand.

    If pork is your thing, I recommend Publican highly. Not being big on meat, I cannot say that I will return on my own accord. However, for friends like the ones who were visiting from Qatar, I will make some adjustments.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/1/2013
    2 check-ins

    Second time around this really solidified my 5 star rating.  
    1. service is great, servers know what they are taking about, and have good recommendations water glass never empty and they refreshed our plates often during the shared plates progress.
    2. drink selection is very nice and their wines are quite reasonable, which is always great.
    3. food, just fantastic.  Oysters were VERY fresh and tasty, and other standouts pork belly, little gem salad with pig ears (is a great size for sharing for 4 or so), beef sirloin, and octopus.

  • 3.0 star rating
    6/21/2013

    I went to dinner here this week with two work colleagues, one of which is from Chicago and enjoys the food here.  Well, aside from a few dishes, I didn't love it.  Oysters were good, we too the chef's selection and as it was decent, I live in the Pacific NW - the oysters here are to die for.  I recall the porchetta being decent but nothing spectacular, similar to the asparagus. The best dish, by far, was the farm hen - juicy, perfectly seasoned, fell off the bone. Thank fully I wasn't paying because if I was I'd knock another star.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/6/2013
    Listed in Brunch

    After almost 1,500 reviews I'm not sure there is much else to say, but this place is awesome! I have been for dinner and recently came for brunch, which was seriously one of the best brunches I've ever had!
    I started with the bloody mary, which was nice and spicy and came with a side of beer. My friends had mimosas which were also delicious and made with beer, someone described it as a really orange-y Blue Moon.
    We ordered a cinnamon coffee cake and honey bread for appetizers, which were both excellent. They were not super sweet, which was a nice change from most brunch sweets. For my entree, I had the truffled eggs, which were scrambled eggs on top of sourdough toast that came with a frisee salad. These eggs were amazing, seriously the best scrambled eggs I've ever had. The bread was also excellent, crunchy thick sourdough just as it should be.
    I can't wait to come back to try more brunch items, everything on the menu looked delicious! Also a good tip - they take reservations (rare for a brunch place in Chicago) which makes it much nicer than having to wait forever while you are starving for foo.

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/22/2013
    1 check-in

    Okay, I KNOW everyone is crazy about this. I have to say the food is really fantastic overall - but it really is pricey, don't you think? With fifty dollars, you can go to Avec or Marion Street Cheese Market or Bedford for oysters. Honestly, I do like the communal seating. It was fun. I met new friends there and that was the whole point. All I am complaining about is the hype and the price you have to pay for it.

    As for food, my favorite was the roasted chicken. Gosh, that was the best chicken I've ever had in my life. For real. The ribs was not special to me. Drinks are hit or miss - since they are so specific. I ordered something under the Bitters category that tasted like bitter Chinese herbal medicine. Sigh. The Lemoncello dessert drink was great too. But then, cheese options were in the dessert menu, after I stuffed myself. Really? Sorry, maybe I'm just a little confused about how popular this place is compared to many others which as are just great.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 5.0 star rating
    8/7/2013

    good brunch, good conversations, good coffee--what's not to love? upon entering, i loved the set-up of the place. it allows for discussions while eating. isn't that the point of eating out? enjoying a positive energy and talking over an excellent meal? that's what makes for a memorable time, and that's definitely what the publican provided.

    i was able to enjoy the indiana corn succotash. it was tasty, with a subtle heat from the corn. i wish that this dish came with a wedge of lime, though. a little spritz of lime on that corn would've really hit home for me. the green beans were well-cooked with a little bite to them. i'm a sucker for runny yolk. i love breaking through that skin and watching that liquid gold just ooze over my food. i was able to enjoy that twice with this dish :).

    when i'm in town, i'm definitely going to hit the publican again. whether i'm enjoying the company of friends or savoring my meal solo, this place has an energy that i don't think i would ever get sick of.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/9/2014 Updated review
    2 check-ins

    I think we can now feel totally comfortable ordering here since we've been often enough and know our preferences and what to expect.  This last weekend we were on early on a Saturday (6:00) and sat at the communal table.  We had the always fabulous pork rinds (two orders), 6 oysters, tasting of three hams, cod plate, pork belly and the strawberry salad with edamame.  For us, this place is incredible because we don't generally like the same things and shared plates are hard.  They manage to make things that we both like and we add one thing just for each of us (oysters and pork belly) to round it out.  We also love the enormous selection of beers.  We need with the waffle and agree that these are the best made waffles we have ever had.  Always worth the cost and having to sit next to hipsters or crazies (we had a couple on one side who didn't eat pork or any seafood set all and tried to order their steak wheel done!  Wtf?)

    4.0 star rating
    4/7/2014 Previous review
    We adore this place, but had never been for brunch before last weekend.  I have to say, we prefer… Read more
    4.0 star rating
    3/18/2013 Previous review
    We've been back several times since my last review and always have amazing food and the service is… Read more
    5.0 star rating
    12/21/2011 Previous review
    Back again and this time brought the husband for a taste of Pig.  I read through some of the other… Read more
    5.0 star rating
    7/19/2011 Previous review
    I can completely understand the hype surrounding this place - and the Michelin recommendation.  Wow.… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    4/6/2014

    Spicy delicious bloody marys, amazing brunch menu and fun atmosphere. Get the frites.

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/2/2013
    1 check-in

    The first thing I noticed upon entering Publican was the restaurant's unique layout.  I actually really liked the rustic feel and family-style seating, although the terrible acoustics put a damper on the atmosphere.
    The food is served family-style, and I enjoyed being to try several different dishes.  They were all very good, but my favorites were the charcuterie board and lamb pasta. My only critique of the food was that, for the most part, the recipes weren't particularly conducive to sharing among a group.
    The best of this restaurant, in my opinion, was their stellar beer selection.  I started with Victory Brewing Co.'s Red Tide, a merlot/porter hybrid that was outstanding.  My second beer was an Oktoberfest (can't remeber the brewery), and one of the best fall beers I've tasted.
    I would probably go back to Publican, but probably just for a drink and bar bites.

  • 3.0 star rating
    6/6/2013

    Dined here with my family on 3/7 and I have to say the food didn't live up to the hype here on Yelp. We're foodies who frequent many restaurants as well as have family who work in the industry, so we are familiar with good food. We sampled a variety of dishes and entrees but most of what we tried was underwhelming. To be honest it was my birthday dinner and I don't even remember my entree. My dad had a lamb dish I had a bite of and my tongue did a backflip, it was the best thing that hit our table and whatever I was having paled in comparison. One in our party ordered the half chicken and it was pretty average with an above average price. The chareuterie plate was pretty good, and the spicy pork rinds that everyone raves about were nice but I hate to say it I get more enjoyment (and value) from the spicy pork rinds I grab from 7-11. People seem to love the craft beer list a lot too. I appreciate it as well but it's not exactly unheard of either so it's difficult for me to be as enthusiastic as others.

    If you're coming here for the meats you've heard so much about I recommend hitting their deli across the street, more of a selection although you would have to cook it yourself, unless you're just interested in a lunch sandwich which are great.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/16/2012 Updated review

    Have you ever had a mediocre meal and vowed to never return?  I wanted to stay far away from the Publican after such experience.  Fast forward 2.5 years later, I give it another go.  This time a totally pleasant and delicious meal.   And this is why Yelpers, myself included, should really give a place more than one shot before reviewing.

    Arrived here around 9:30 on a Monday, and the restaurant was still hoppin'.  My super sexy dining companion and I were seated by the window.  Bring a little sweater or wrap, bc it was very drafty.  I didn't notice the cold after a few minutes because the wine started to warm me up.  My personal wine expert carefully studied the list and decided on a gruner veltiner to start.  We also ordered some fried oysters complete with these huge onion rings (bonus!), and lobster w/ pineapple & avocado--such a light, refreshing dish.

    Next we chose some pinot noir to go with our country ribs.  Um hell yeah!  These weren't like your typical "baby back style", more of a chop, if you will.  Tender, but not falling off the bone.  Super tasty and meaty.  God, I love meat.   We also tried their version of brussels sprouts, which were raw & shaved, instead of the typical halved & roasted.  Interesting---and downright delicious.  The accompaniment was a cheese.  The online menu says ricotta.  But it seemed more like burrata to me.  Whichever it was, it was perfection.  I kinda hoarded it on my side of the table.  shame.on.me!   The kitchen sent out some complimentary cauliflower gratin.  Rich in flavor (& price....yikes, good thing we didn't have to buy it, as it was $10!)  

    We concluded our meal with the choc budino w/ a peanut butter cookie garnish.  Mmmm....they musta known I have a massive sweet tooth bc they also sent out a waffle, too.  The honey butter was TO DIE FOR.  I want all butter to taste like that.  

    With a glance around the dining room, we knew it was time to mosey and/or boogie, as we were one of their remaining tables.   Overall not stellar, but a definite improvement.

    2.0 star rating
    6/23/2009 Previous review
    I was so certain I'd love this place after all this talk about pork and beer!!  unfortunately, not… Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    10/9/2012
    2 check-ins

    My review is for Brunch. This is hands down my favorite meal/ restaurant in the city!

    The only downside is they change their menu and take off your favorite dishes :/

    I have had the Scrapple and would love to see it back on the menu but  I guess that makes me expand my horizons. Red Wine Poached eggs on Sundays Brunch menu is my go to. If they ever took the bacon off I would protest! The bacon is more like pork belly with a maple glaze (I'm typically a crunchy bacon person too) I don't even care about the $7 price tag.

    This was our first time going to Saturday Brunch and be prepared the menu is different then Sunday (no red wine poach eggs but they have oysters :)

    The bloody mary with a beer sidecar is delish.
    We also had oysters, kumamotos to be exact. Can't go wrong there. We tried two new dishes:
    Castelvetrano olive foccacia  -  It was good but by publican standards not my favorite. The scramble eggs were so light and fluffy though.
    I think the second was Pancetta (pork) with a Verde salsa and tomatoes. Good flavor. I would get again.

    They now also have a meat shop next door which is a must!
    You can't go wrong at Publican Brunch I just don't think I would suggest this to a vegetarian...

  • 1.0 star rating
    11/23/2013

    Completely over rated!! Was recommended here by a friend and heard alot of good things from this place. However there menu last night was not good! Had the goose/ sirloin steak/ham and chicken along with oysters and a few vegetable sides. The only good thing from what I ate was the chicken and the oysters. Other then that food was too salty and not good for the price. For 4 people walked away paying $200 and not worth it!!! Will never go back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/10/2013

    This meal is one of the top three I've eaten.

    The atmosphere is trendy, but energized. There are high tables, tables that resembles stalls, and long tables where groups sit, separate but family-style seeming. The design of the restaurant is meant to resemble a farmhouse.

    Many of the ingredients found on the menu are sourced locally, and the beer list is very extensive. We ordered the bouchot mussels, the french fries with an egg on top, the corn, the lamb short ribs (which were to die for), and one of the seasonal fish on the menu. I would order the short ribs over and over again. The pieces of meat fell off the bone and melted in your mouth. Unfortunately, we licked our plates clean during dinner, so we didn't make it to dessert.

  • 2.0 star rating
    4/24/2013

    I guess I don't get all the hoopla about this place. We made a reservation six weeks in advance for a booth, yet when we showed up we were not allowed to sit in one despite the fact that they were all empty and the place was dead. They claim they have to save them for larger parties. Right, there were still empty ones by the time we left.

    Beyond the poor seating service, the food was better than average as was the beer list but certainly not worthy of the prices they are charging. My porchetta was tasty enough but parts of it were dry and other parts greasy. My wife's fried clams were tasty as well and were dressed in something similar to a ceasar salad. The side of pickles were extremely vinegary and were rather challenging to consume.

    The beer list was not extensive but was thought out. The house lambic was certainly of average caliber and overpriced at $10 for a 10oz pour.

    After dropping almost $100.00 we left feeling unwelcome, unimpressed, and disappointed.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/18/2012

    Went here last weekend with my husband and another couple. The food was really delish. We started with oysters which were fantastic, then got a sampling of plates to share including the suckling pig, striped bass, house made sausage with roasted turkey, and sides of beets and turnips. Overall really good. The bass was a little bland and unmemorable, if I'm being picky. We also got 2 desserts for the table. Do yourself a favor- if they have carrot cake on the menu, get it. I don't even like carrot cake that much and it was one of the best desserts I've ever had. The candied ginger is bomb.

    The service was spotty- our waitress was quite flighty and forgot when someone ordered another glass of wine, more than once.
    I thought it was expensive for what we got. Our bill for 4 people with everyone having 2 cocktails was $350. It was really good but not sure it was worthy of that price.

  • 3.0 star rating
    6/12/2012
    1 check-in

    Not so impressed.

    The ambiance was casual yet sophisticated. They had outdoor seating and large communal tables and some individual tables inside. We had reservations for 2 and was a little disappointed that there was no individual table for the two of us inside. They seated us at the corner of a communal table. We asked to be seated outside since there was only table available outside. It was either that or an hour wait for an indoor seating... Ridiculous for someone with reservations. I suppose I need to call ahead and request an individual table.

    We were greeted by a really nice server. She was very patient & explained the menu thoroughly. Most of the food is served as small plates. So order plenty to share!

    Here are the highlights:
    Spicy pork rinds- great way to start a meal. Spicy, crispy, & cheesy.
    Pork belly- the best dish of the night
    Yellowtail-good but not mind blowing
    Leeks- you can pass
    Asparagus vinaigrette- excellent flavor

    Strawberry shortcake- good but I've had better

    Overall, pleasant dining experience but not very memorable. I guess I expected more from this popular establishment.

    One good thing about this place is the beer selection. If you love beer, this is the place.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/8/2013

    One of the best brunchs I've had in a while. The Maple Syrup Soaked 1.5 inch THICK bacon was enough, but it happens that the rest of the meal was also excellent. I recommend the sirloin on the brunch menu (in wild mushrooms and red wine sauce) over an excellent risotto.

    The service was a little bit pretentious, but still polite and the foot was good enough to justify the attitude...

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/27/2014

    This place has exquisite, well-portioned food that tastes great in any season. The drinks are well-matched and the atmosphere is perfect for romantic dates or group outings. The mussels are worth a taste.

  • 1.0 star rating
    10/11/2014

    Arrived at The Publican on time for our reservation, checked in and was informed that our table was not ready because guests had been sitting for hours. We were directed to the standing bar tables where we patiently stood until our patience ran out. We waited for 20 minutes and not one person recognized we were standing there. No "I'll be right with you" hell not even a glimpse from a server. The kicker: I received an email two days later asking why I didn't honor my reservation. Nice.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/22/2012

    It's a must. If you haven't been you haven't lived...To summarize my entire review I'll just put it in a .gif format.

    soyeahduh.tumblr.com/pos…

  • 2.0 star rating
    4/12/2014

    We had a recommendation from friends for this restaurant.  We arrived for our 9 pm reservation about 30 minutes early and found a table to wait at.  Wait staff were prompt and offered suggestions for beverages.  The noise level was quite high so conversation was difficult.  We were seated relatively close to 9 pm and our new wait staff was again very prompt and helpful in providing an overview of the menu.  We were initially pleased with our selections and how they were presented however, it became noticeable that the timing of plate services increased and when the food was served, it was not at the correct temperature.  Our final dish (a pork  selection) was tough, cold and not at all flavorful.  Definitely disappointing.   The crowd remained lively and energetic.  We had hoped for a reduction in the noise level but given the high, open ceilings, knew it would not.  

    Certainly a spot for those looking for Friday night energy but perhaps not for those wanting an unbelievably good meal to cap off a hectic week.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/11/2014

    Excellent food all around. They have some uncommon options for you to try and everything they put on the plate is great. Go out on a limb when you dine at The Publican and try something new. You won't be disappointed with how delicious some random meats and fish can taste.

    Try the charcutterie (sp?) platter, but spring for the large (gives you way more than the standard). Avoid the porkchop. I had it the first time and wasn't a huge fan.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/5/2014

    Good food, very good service but really loud.  Great looking place in a strange part of town...at least at night.  Food was nicely presented and prepared. Steak tender, fish perfect.  Sorbet worth saving room for.
    Lots of interesting choices of drinks too. Expensive. Try it!

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/15/2012

    Maybe it was a bad night because reviews are generally positive for this place, but I just didn't think the food was that great. (Note: it's not terrible.)

    Also, I'm an early 30-something, and gone are the days of me sitting at a community table like my 4th grade school cafeteria. Fortunately, we had one of those cool booths with the doors (which are, indeed, cool!) but I would not have been a happy camper had I been asked to sit down and share a conversation with a random somebody.

    The beer list is interesting and comprehensive, although the wines not so much.

    What I didn't like: duck hearts (acquired taste, perhaps, but they were very tough and salty), striped bass (extremely fishy), suckling pig (tough meat and devoid of flavor).

    What I did like: brussels sprouts (shredded, seasoned nicely, and creme fraiche on anything makes it good), frites (fried...need I say more?), fennel gratin (flavorful but a bit on the heavy side).

    This place had so much hype and I'm not sure why. I guess that plays a big part into my 3 star rating.

    Put another way, if somebody were coming to Chicago and said they had reservations at Publican, I would steer them in another direction. If I were going out with a big group, and somebody made a reservation at Publican, I'd be a team player and go along with it instead of muddying the waters. But no way am I going to voluntarily return...I have had far better meals in the city.

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/2/2014
    1 check-in

    Nice vibe, great service, just know it's not your 'typical' brunch menu.

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/15/2014

    Eh. Go to next door to Publican Quality Meats for a better meal.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/10/2013
    1 check-in

    I love this place! We didn't have to wait forever, great atmosphere (can get a little loud though) and we enjoyed every single piece of meat that we had.

    Service was great. Bathrooms are a little funky -  thought I went into the wrong one at first.

    On impulse, I'd choose The Publican over GIrl & The Goat AND Purple Pig.

  • 2.0 star rating
    1/9/2013
    3 check-ins

    The Publican is a happening spot located in the meat packing area of the near west side. Arrrghh. For starters, don't confuse this Publican with Publican Quality Meats which sits directly across the street. Got it? Let's move on.

    This place is quite loud. The seating is communal or barracks style unless you sit against the wall which is made out to resemble a pen. Your table is literally closed off as if you were in a barn. Okay. That's very cool and hip. Wow.

    Let's get to the drinks. I ordered a Harp. Didn't have it. I ordered an Amstel Light. Didn't have it. At that point I figured out that basically all of the beers on the menu were German or micro brews. Fine. The waiter suggested some kind of a beer and returned with it. I was happy. It was quite good. Nice job waiter.

    Food. If you like fish or pork then this is your place. The food is served family style (not a fan of this) but the waiter made suggestions regarding the quantity of meals and/or appetizers. Ordered was red snapper, suckling pig, schnitzel, sweet bread, etc. The food was nothing special. The tastiest thing I consumed was the schnitzel. That's not saying much as there was more breading than meat. The portions were very small. I left hungry. Others in my party left hungry.

    The Publican seems to be going for a German theme. If that's the case then they should employ attractive women in short dresses and men playing tubas. Here the runners wear oil change attire. I guess that makes it trendy as well.

    This area of Chicago boasts many, many quality up scale restaurants. Don't believe the hype. This place isn't worth it.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/30/2013
    2 check-ins

    Meat, Meat, Meat!  Great flavors.  Can't decide if I like it more for brunch or dinner.  May choose brunch because the mimosas, bloody marys, and coffee is beyond fantastic!  Start off with the sticky bun (ok, you can't come her if you're on a diet). Some of the menu items changes so each visit can be unique.  It keeps you coming back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/11/2011
    1 check-in

    I came here with my girl for Sunday brunch with no reservations.
    We were seated immediately with an option of seats at the communal table or the bar. We decided to sit at the bar.

    I started this blessed day with a Publican Mimosa. I could've drank these all day.
    I ordered the duck-confit hash and their maple syrup-braised Publican bacon. She ordered the quiche and hash browns. For the record, the Publican bacon is one of the best strips of bacon I've ever had. It's comparable to the bacon at Peter Luger's in BK. I cannot stress this enough...no matter what you order...make sure you get the Publican bacon. The duck-confit hash really hit the spot. The yolks on my fried eggs were the perfect amount of runny. After seeing them make dozens of Bloody Mary's behind the bar I decided to order one.  It came with a sidecar of my choice of beer (among 3). The bloody mary was on-point. I now knew why they were being dished out like hotcakes. I tried the quiche...it tasted very fresh. The hash browns were very crispy.  

    As I neared my last bites, I slowed down...not because I was full...but because I didn't want it to end. Am I the only one who plans what is going to be on their spoon for the "last bite" of their meal?  Runny yolk, hash brown, publican bacon....heaven.
    OK I LIED...my last bites were out of their amazing PECAN STICKY BUNS.  Holy S#!Tb@ll$ ! So soft...so sweet...these sticky buns were OUTTA CONTROL!

    The service was great. The ambiance was classy-cool. Two songs I vividly remember hearing on blast while gnoshing were BelBivDevoe's Poison, and Huey Lewis & The News' Power of Love. What else could you possibly want to hear during Sunday brunch?!  Get over to Publican's brunch...ASAP.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/7/2013
    1 check-in

    This restaurant is located in the meatpacking district and has an open, lofty feel. We came on a Tuesday night (with a res) and the place was packed. The majority of the seating is community seating but we snagged one of their booths, into which we were promptly shut in (with doors!) by our waiter. Clever and interesting, but not exactly convenient or safe to have stall-like doors opening outward into a heavy traffic area. Its very rustic inside, with tons of globe lights hanging from the ceiling that give a diffuse glow to the whole place.

    Our server was witty, friendly and extremely knowledgeable about the entire menu. He made some fantastic suggestions for adult beverages for our group and was full of hilarious and informational trivia the whole night.

    The menu is designed for sharing (what isn't these days?) and our server recommended 1 large dish and 1 small dish per person. This was too much food. I would say 3 dishes for every 2 people, unless you have some starvational strapping young men in your party. My BF acts as my personal garbage disposal when eating out and we still didn't finish everything in our group of 4.

    The food itself was generally quite delicious. There were a few misses, but when ordering 8 dishes, I didn't expect all to blow my mind. Of the below dishes, I would definitely order the fish stew again.

    Spanish fish stew - yum yum yum! This is more of a soup consistency with a tomato base filled with clams and mussels (served in the shell). The garlic bread served with it was also to die for - savory and crunchy and perfect dipped in the broth

    Scallops - these were cooked well but I wasn't impressed with the sides. The brussel sprouts, parsnip puree, and grapefruit didn't come together and felt separate

    Potted rillettes (recommended by the server) - this was one of the more middling dishes. The meat was too chunky to be spread on the crackers, although it was delicious, especially with the sweetness of the cherries

    Farm chicken - tasty (your standard roasted chicken) but served with superb french fries which tasted even better after soaking in the chicken juice

    Porchetta - my least favorite dish of the evening. Was oily, greasy and an overwhelming amount of meat compared to the sides

    Beets - simple beet and goat cheese combo. large portion

    Brussel sprouts - served shredded as a salad. These were delicious. Although the puffed wild rice looked like inchworms to me, so I just couldn't bring myself to eat them.

    I'm missing one dish, but it must have not been very memorable if I forgot.

    Overall, this came out to around $100 per couple (including drinks) which is totally reasonable for the amount of food we were served. The service was attentive, yet never rushed. I would come here again, but only if I knew I wasn't sitting at the communal tables, as they looked to be a little rowdy.

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/23/2012

    The Publican is a fun spot but don't expect  great value for your money. Most of the dishes tasted very good but there was a lack of warmth in the overall ambiance perhaps from the high ceilings or the plain wood walls.

    Best two dishes were the fried clams (not a bad value here) and the roast suckling pig - which was tender and flavorful but it was just a pile of meat no visions of suckling pig here. The short ribs were very chewy - way too much so. The fresh sardines were OK - a bit fishy tasting.

    The frites were the best thing on the menu. $7 for a big pile of fries that tasted like they had been cooked in duck fat and topped with two fried eggs. Creamy and delicious!

    The cheese plate seemed like a good value (with at least 5 types of cheese and more than an ounce of each) after all the other high prices but needed more of the honey and nut mixture.
    Our server forgot about us and we had to ask for the bread and beers twice and he didn't check in on our meals until it was way too far along. The water service was fabulous - water glass was filled every few minutes.

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/6/2013

    Likes:

    1. What we ordered.
    Daily pickles, pork rinds, mussels, schnitzel, citrus tart
    If you're a pickle fiend, the daily pickles are a great cheap little starter to whet your appetite.
    Pork rinds aren't really my thing, but the husband liked them. Porky air? I'd rather pull some crispy skin off a whole, slow-roasted pig.
    Mussels = always an excuse to dip large hunks of bread in delicious, delicious broth, and this one doesn't disappoint.
    Loved the pairing of schnitzel with vinegary-sweet greens.
    Citrus tart reminded me a bit of lemon meringue pie filling, but its pairing with a spiced ice cream worked well and was quite intriguing.

    2. The artwork.
    Prompted deep discussion about which pig paintings we liked best.

    Gripes:

    1. Communal tables. Why do restaurateurs keep forcing the communal thing? I ended up sitting next to a girl who was disgusted by everything that came to the table and complained the whole time. If I wanted to eat and share with a big party, I'd go out with a big party. The communal thing is uninspired.

    2. Server + noise level.
    Our server was strange. She started out the evening pouring the water. Said nothing. 5 minutes later she came back and enthusiastically announced that she'd be our server. Anyway, a couple times, when we asked a question or made a remark, it was pretty clear she couldn't hear us due to the noise level in the place. She'd just smile and nod blankly.
    For dessert, we ordered a citrus tart. She brought the citrus tart, AND rice pudding, AND coffee. Not sure where she got the idea that we had ordered these things, but they weren't free. Maybe it's my fault for not speaking up. But if extra dessert and coffee are placed in front of me, I will eat them!

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/15/2013

    This review is overdue, but seeing as I'm still thinking about my NYE meal at The Publican, here goes...

    My boyfriend and I were vacillating about whether to go out for NYE up until about two weeks beforehand. We made up our minds when I stumbled upon The Publican's NYE menu, which was one of the most reasonably priced dinners (for the quality) that I could find. I called and easily set a reservation for 10 p.m. About a week later, I called to add two friends to our reservation. The hostess informed me that we might have to wait beyond our reservation time to be seated, which I appreciated and accepted.

    The menu consisted of four courses:
    1) Salad -- Chocolate persimmons, pomegranate, pistachios, chicories, queso de valdon;
    2) Pasta -- Black trumpet mushrooms, whole wheat tagliolini, trout roe, dill, buttercream curd;
    3) Meat -- PQM prime rib, Yorkshire pudding, roasted potatoes, glazed carrots; and
    4) Sweet -- Pecan bread pudding, bourbon, chicory caramel, creme fraiche ice cream.

    I cannot say enough about our dinner. Everything was delicious. My boyfriend thought the dessert was a tad on the salty side, but that was the only complaint from the table.

    I've been to The Publican on four other occasions -- twice for brunch and twice for dinner -- and I enjoyed each trip. One of my favorite dishes at restaurant is the waffle, which is served either as a brunch item or for dessert. It is truly the best waffle I have ever had in my life, and I now measure all other waffles against it.

    The beer menu is outstanding, though a little pricey. I don't love the communal seating, but for the food, I deal with it. And if you have four people, you often get seated in your own personal booth.

    I can't wait to bring the boyfriend back to try items from the regular menu.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/13/2012

    Sometimes restaurants are just special.  As generic as that sounds, but The Publican is one of those places.  We were able to drop in at 9:30 on a Friday night and get a space at the bar.  The atmosphere was one part sheik New York meat packing district, one part local diner, and maybe a little bit of Chicago's mid west flair to round it off.  We started with a couple of drinks, and an order of some of the freshest oysters that I've had in memory.  We had a dozen of the sampler, served with a garlic malt vinegar.  6 different types of oysters, from everywhere that's good on the east coast, west coast, and Canada.  Liquor and tasting like the ocean!  Excellent.

    Next I had to try the Serrano ham.  Although it was a simple presentation thinly shaved ham and bread, that's all it really needed.  It tasted of acorns.  No seriously, it really did.  I'll probably get shit from my chef friends for saying that, but you can't fight the truth.

    The steak tartar came next, and I think that's when I absolutely fell in love with this place.  Roughly ground steak seasoned perfectly and served with soft-boiled eggs, parsley, and fingerlings.  Absolutely fucking awesome.  I really can't say it any other way.

    Which takes us to our next dish, a dish that I didn't really need, because we were full already, but was so so glad we decided to pull the trigger on.  Think about the best Cioppino you've ever had, and it probably didn't taste as good as this.  Now I know that's a bold statement, but if you follow me on Pinterest, all 26 of you, you'd see what I was talking about.  

    Maybe I'm just a food blogger that doesn't know anything, and I always want someone to take my reviews with a grain of salt, if they disagree, but I have to say, after eating at The Publican, I really got everything they were trying to do there.  Unfuckingbelievable, to put it lightly.  And oh yah, if your full after all that, and your waiter tells you there's still room for a caramel ice cream and a waffle, just listen to him.  He knows what he's talking about.

  • 2.0 star rating
    3/4/2015

    I had such high expectations for The Publican but can honestly say that the service as other customers have reported left much to be desired. Upon arriving I found 3 people at the front door station who seemed quite uninterested in checking in with me or seating my group. Once seated we were put right up next to another group at a 90 degree angle which made it impossible to fit within our seating area. Being from Seattle I am quite used to communal seating, but this was awkward at best. Upon asking for a new seat I received a response that the other seats must be specially requested. Unfortunately I was not aware of this even though I had made a reservation 2 months in advance (as I travel to Chicago approximately 4 times a year and this was the highest rated restaurant in the city that I have not tried). As far as the dishes the highlight was the broccoli. We also had the monkfish which was below average, the pork rinds which were average and the country style ribs which were above average. Overall I would love to give The Publican a higher review, but I believe that the service level alone warrants a much lower review.  Having eaten my way through many of the top U.S. Eateries I would not return to the publican but would rather eat at Chicago's top establishments such as Girl and the Goat or Au Chèval. I seriously hope that some staffing changes can be addressed at this establishment as there is unlimited potential for the menu.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/10/2012 Updated review

    Went with two women- girlfriend and her friend from Colorado.  They drank Allagash tripel (like a light barleywine) and Lost and Found Abbey Ale (hoppy) and I had a ginger beer.  We started with chicharrones- light and popcorn-y seasoning- not Mexican.  The smoked arctic char on bread with mascarpone, peas and cucumber reminded me of Door county in the summer.  Country ribs had a lot of flavor, served with ramps and chunky tomato relish.  The taste of 3 hams was hammy.  Fennel gratin was more focused on burrata and parmesan.  Fries at the end put me over edge.

    5.0 star rating
    12/12/2010 Previous review
    Very communal.   Pig ear salad.
  • 4.0 star rating
    4/10/2012

    Late night and hungry, the wife and I decided to make our way into the city and grab a meal with some family.  Long have I awaited an opportunity to try The Publican, and since it was going to  be a 9:00 PM dinner on a weeknight, this was a perfect chance.  Made reservations with no issues, and was happily seated immediately to an overwhelmingly delicious sounding menu where everything deserved consideration.  From what I understood, The Publican is known for three things - oysters, beer, and pork.  We focused our menu around these:

    Chef's selection of oysters - 12 oysters (4 types, 3 of each) along with all the appropriate sauces.  Oysters were fresh and good, but it would have been nice to have some more direction from the staff as to what each type was and possibly a guide to whether it was supposed to be more sweet vs. briny.  Overall, good choice to open with.

    Bouchot Mussels - LOTS of mussels for the larger size, excellent broth to slurp with the mussels, with just plain shells, or to sop up with the crusty fresh bread they serve up.  Another great choice.

    Little Gem Salad - The gems you ask?  Why pig ears of course!  Much respect, as I"ve never figured out quite how to make pig ears this crisp.  Even for those who are squeamish at the idea having the ears of an animal, this is worth trying.  Crisp and bacony, flavorful and delicious.  Possibly the best way to introduce a new part of the animal.

    Ham chop - Smoked with hay, this was the most tender ham I've ever had.  Seriously, I've never had ham this tender.  At $40, it's a bit pricey, but very memorable.

    Verdict:  The Publican offers up phenomenal food, but know that you'll definitely be paying a price as well.  Dinner for four with one beer a person came out to $45 a person, but definitely some of the finer food that Chicago has to offer.  Worth coming to!

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/25/2013

    We had tried to go here several times during dinner without reservations and the wait was always too long.  We finally got in the other night and boy was it worth it.  After one visit, I can say with some confidence that if you don't like the Publican you and I will never be friends.  

    This place has great service and atmosphere, craft beers, and a menu that changes daily.  Meats and seafood are the mainstay, and they don't disappoint.  We were somewhat worried about taking our two-year-old given the communal seating, but upon arrival we were pleasantly surprised to find a number of booths that are completely closed off, like your own private mini room.  This was the perfect arrangement for our daughter, who got to roam freely inside our booth without disturbing the other patrons.

    Overall, it was a great meal.  We will be back soon!

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/16/2014

    Came for brunch for a friends birthday. It was fine. The service was fine, the food was fine, the drinks were fine. Nothing was mind blowing, but the experience wasn't bad either...it was just....fine. They do get a bonus star for seating us even though my chronically late friend and her guest hadn't arrived.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/4/2012
    1 check-in
    Listed in Worth the wait...

    He's been there from the beginning of the transition. I'm talking about Paul Kahan and his presence during the change from top of the line fine dining (re: Trotter) to high end casual eating. The man has been highly praised for his work at Blackbird and avec, and understandably so. But the third installment to the Kahan legacy is all about swine...and why the hell not?

    Kahan pushes the envelop with this eatery, focusing his entire menu on poor Miss Piggy and a few seafood items (think things with shells). My friends and I stopped by The Publican for Sunday brunch and waited...........a long time. So long, my fiancée fell asleep. True story. But eventually we were seated in a pig pen-style booth, swinging doors and all. Adding to the decor are some of the most beautiful balls I've ever seen. Rows, columns of globes lined the ceiling in what has to be one of the most interesting lighting designs I've ever seen. With that said, its obvious why The Publican received the James Beard Award for decor. Simply amazing.

    But what truly separates a Kahan restaurant from any other is the food itself. The concept of an all-pig restaurant might frighten some, but it sings beautiful music to others (including myself). As mentioned, we had brunch, and the menu had many familiar items, including waffles, biscuits & gravy, and an omelette. But the most intriguing items were further down the menu: hanger steak, maple-glazed pork shoulder, bucatini alla carbonara, duck confit hash. Yes. Oh sweet mother, yes.

    Fiancée ordered the carbonara, and take a wild guess what I ordered?

    Yep, the maple-glazed pork shoulder. What did ya think?

    Portions aren't huge, but what it lacks in size (insert chuckle), it makes up in taste. The carbonara, served with pork belly, eggs and parmesan cheese, was divine. The dish was very delicate, and also delectable. The saltiness of the pork belly adds a lot to what would be a very traditional take on carbonara.

    The words "maple-glazed pork shoulder" might not roll off your tongue, but it rolls off mine..and happily to my belly. Sweet. Salty. Fragile. A sunny-side up egg lies on top of the pork shoulder, adding an interesting texture. Underneath all that was a bed of grits, kale, and pickled red onion, rounding out the rest of the taste buds. If it was socially acceptable to lick a giant plate, I'd do it. Just sayin'.

    But please, whatever you do, do not leave here from brunch without ordering some bacon. Yes. Bacon. Something so simple done so perfectly. Maple syrup-braised bacon. It's what dreams are made of..and I know this for a fact because my fiancée woke up the other day saying she dreamt of this bacon.

    Music is...interesting. Goes from some legit hip hop to Party Rock Anthem (yes, people were shufflin') to indie rock. But what made the afternoon was the random ringing of the cowbell. Not sure why or if it had any significance, but it got everybody's attention. But what could've made the day even better..more cowbell.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/20/2013

    It lives up to its reputation. I thought it was a cool place and I enjoyed all the different food we tasted. Only drawbacks..
    - It's hard to get a table by yourself though.. we made reservations but apparently I didnt specify for a booth so they sat us in the long tables..
    - also their prosciutto mixed plate was good, but I could barely taste the difference between them. I think they should add something really different like "jabugo"

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/17/2013

    Honestly, I can't really complain about this place but I will admit I was slightly disappointed. My expectations were a little high in regards to finally eating here, and while nothing was WRONG with anything I ate or drank, I wasn't as impressed as I thought I'd be.

    Nonetheless, that shouldn't deter anyone from eating here. Came here on Valentine's Day with my boyfriend. We were both very impressed with their beer and wine selections and our waitress was incredibly helpful with making choices. Their oyster list is also impressive... I was able to select all west coast oysters, which are my favorite. The way they were shucked was a little iffy though, I ended up spitting back a lot of shell.

    My boyfriend and I shared the serrano ham, the boudin blanc, and the brussels sprouts. The serrano ham was different from how I'd eaten it before, but still delicious. The boudin blanc, though, was absolutely amazing. Some of the best sausage I've eaten in the city. The brussels sprouts were very different from how I thought they'd be... Very finely sliced and almost similar to a "dry" coleslaw. While the taste was great, it wasn't very crispy which was kind of a disappointment.

    Dessert was fabulous... We had the cheesecake and I absolutely loved it. To be honest, this place reminds me a lot of Longman & Eagle. Absolutely nothing wrong with that, but I am a bit biased toward Longman.

    I'd definitely come here at least once -- especially as our dinner, with drinks and dessert and oysters, was only 97 dollars.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/6/2014

    My girlfriend and I came here for New Years Day brunch. The food was amazing!! I can't wait to come back. Gotta try the sourdough pancake and the bacon...and the Bloody Mary is simply the best you'll ever have!!

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 3.0 star rating
    4/2/2012

    I enjoyed the meal here but thought it was pretty uneven overall.  There were some very good dishes but a few mediocre dishes that I don't think the restaurant lived up to its reputation.

    - ham taster was great but they didn't do anything other than cut it and put out on a plate.  The Benton's country ham always gets me.
    - fries were amazingly crisp and wonderful with the truffle essence.  They must have been cooked in duck fat.
    - brussel sprouts were very good, had a nice vinegary and cheesy combination
    - the bollito misto was disappointing considering some of the items came from their butcher shop.  I didn't feel like anything stood out.
    - mussels were ok but had a lot that didn't open.  The flavors were a little muted.
    - banana cream pie dessert were good, liked the crust the best

    I guess I'm being a little hard based on all the glowing recommendations, was also there with 3 work people so didn't really order exactly what I would have normally.  I think I owe them another try in the future.  

    Also one of the loudest rooms I've ever eaten in.  Really super crazy loud.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/10/2013

    Ranking one of the best meals I have ever had. Mixed aged ham, pork rinds, charcuterie plate with procetta, pork pie, salumi, turkey galantine and morteau sausage, chicken liver pate, seared dry aged duck breast, oysters, pork schnitzel.

    Why oh why can't I live in Chicago.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/14/2014

    Love this place! Fantastic service and some of the best food in Chicago. The oysters are a fav, always fresh and delicious

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/29/2012

    HEAVENLY honey butter, divine red wine poached eggs, extra extra crispy frites, and crunchy cheesy pork rinds.

    We came here for brunch.  It is like in the middle of nowhere.  But it's a cute restaurant.  EXCELLENT service. Would be great for parties and birthdays.  

    Loved the idea of the pig pens.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/27/2014

    At first I was skeptical about the communal seating... but at the end I was very pleased. The food was great! Ordered the rib eye, smoked artic char, fries and the taste of three hams. I was very pleased with all of it and the service :)

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/5/2013

    I was here for work and my coworker has been dying to try this place...so we did.
    1. Service: Great attentive service. We had multiple waiters/waitresses who were all extremely friendly (this maybe b/c I am in Chicago). I forget how incredibly friendly people are here.
    2. Atmosphere: Family dining style; however they had smaller tables for those who wants more privacy. Great energy
    3. Food: Awesome meats! I got the pork ribs! It was so tender. The most tender cut of pork I have ever had! Incredible. Highly recommended!

    Land or sea animals...I think it all works here! High five, Publican!

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/26/2014

    Impressive. Focus on socialization both in seated and bar area. Desserts are outstanding. Shared plates, mostly meat/fish platters.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/26/2011 Updated review

    Finally made it to the Publican for their Sunday brunch.  The place was packed so make a reservation or you will be standing in the vestibule for a long while.

    We were seated promptly for our reservation, at one of the communal tables in the center of the room.   My favorite tables are the two tops over by the windows, but even being stuck with other people we didn't know seemed to work out okay.  The noise level is very high in this place and it almost acts like a "screen" or buffer between you and the people sitting around you.  My friend was seated across from me and we had no trouble talking.

    The menu is a little less traditional than other brunch places so may have to look to find versions of your favorites or go in a different direction.  I went with the scrambled eggs with crab and sausage (sounds like a strange combination but it was delicious!) and a side order of Publican bacon- which is more like a thick ham than a crisp bacon but also good.

    My friend also had the Publican bacon along with one of their waffles which also got high marks.  The bloody Marys were quite good and I like the beer chasers that they provide as you get a choice of one of their many beers on tap.  They were also great about keeping our coffee cups filled without having to ask.

    Parking is easy in this area on Sundays.  And I also noticed that they now have small mirrors in the ladies rooms which was missing the last time I stopped in.

    If you are looking for a brunch that it a little different than the norm (in the best way), served in a contemporary venue- check out The Publican.

    4.0 star rating
    1/4/2009 Previous review
    Wait for it. . . wait for it . . .Well the good news is that you no longer have to "wait for it" at… Read more
  • 2.0 star rating
    11/9/2012

    There has been so much hoopla about this place on Fulton Market.  The Chicago Tribune reviews this restaurant all the time.  The critics must get something for their reviews? Perhaps free deli meat? This is the "Chicago way".

    I found The Publican was just all right.  Maybe I was there for the wrong meal.  I was with a group of 7 and we took up the most space at the long table.  I feel the communal presence is not complimentary for this restaurant.  I feel paintings of pigs is a little cliche, like one of those pancake houses that have hens and chick paintings all over the place.

    We started out with the special pumpkin bread with ricotta cheese and I believe is was a little drop of honey.  It was just ok.  I've had better pumpkin bread from Whole Foods.
    I think marscapone cheese or a dallop of whipped cream cheese would have been better.

    I ordered the poached eggs in red wine on a bruschetta toast,with bernaise sauce, topped with arrugula.  It was delicious.  Filling?  Not really.  My daughter and I split an order of bacon.  It was hand cut and so well done, I felt like I was eating charcoal.

    My son ordered the weinerschnitzel.  It was over done and very dry.  Not like my German grandmother's, that's for sure.

    So, take your chances on brunch, with an average price plus tip, on our tab was:$22.
    No one ordered any liquor.  One good thing is there is free parking on the street.

    I hope Mayor Emanuel does not see this.He would have parking meters installed
    immediately!

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/31/2011
    1 check-in

    Hang on, I think I'm still drunk from brunch yesterday.

    Alright, on with the review. My friend Leigh has been just dying to try brunch at The Publican and I'm so glad we did just that. I cabbed over but from what I understand, parking isn't TOO terrible if you want to drive (but it is Chicago, so.) Also, make reservations! We saw so many people waiting forever to sit down, and they had to be hungry.

    I didn't know how I'd feel about the communal tables but it was actually just fine! It was kind of cool to be squeezed in there with people who love brunch just as much as I do. Coffee was poured for us right away and it was some of the best coffee I've had in a while, and bloody mary's and mimosas were next. Let me just say this: best bloody mary I've yet to try! This thing was spicy and you can tell no mixes were involved... it was well-prepared and so flavorful. Oh, and the small glass of beer you get with it wasn't so bad either! The mimosa was just fine... those are pretty standard, though.

    Start brunch off with a pecan sticky bun -- trust me! It's so good... although I don't know why their menu reads bun(s), plural, because it's just one bun. Either way though, yum. I ordered the quiche (escarole, onions, parmesan) and it comes with a market salad, and it was pretty good! Luckily I wasn't too hungry because the quiche wasn't too big, and while the salad was fresh, there wasn't too much there. Regardless, I did like both items very much but was jealous of Leigh's omelette with mortadella, cauliflower, gouda & aged balsamic. The roasted cauliflower combined with the cheese was dynamite! Her portion was HUGE so luckily she shared a little with me. If I go back, I'm definitely ordering that.

    Make reservations, make sure you have a couple hours to devote to eating and drinking, and welcome to the ideal way to spend a Sunday morning.

  • 3.0 star rating
    11/9/2012

    This place is good, but not great.  The atmosphere is novel, but I don't like hearing conversations from other tables to be as loud as the one I'm having with my date or with friends.

    Been here twice, their food quality and their kitchen staff seem great, but their recipes aren't what you would expect.  Being Korean, I eat a fair amount of pork and being a food loving man, I eat a variety of cuisines that serve pork.  This place does pork better than most places in Chicago, but not better than LA or NY.  Maybe I'm asking for too much.

    Also, the prices are too high for what you actually get and you walk away feeling heavy.  The only place worth feeling that heavy for is the French Laundry.  I almost passed out on the way back to my car because of food coma.

  • 2.0 star rating
    11/13/2012

    2.5 stars

    Publican tries hard to emulate the Bavarian Beer hall.  From the communal dining to the big hall to the extensive beer list and the emphasis on pork.  Having experienced the real thing many times in Germany, I find that the Publican comes up short in more ways than one.  

    Things got off to a great start when I saw my favorite beer on the beer list, Weihenstephaner Vitus, which of course is a Munich Weizenbock.  The beer list is excellent, culling many German and Belgian beers along with some US microbrews.  

    Moved on to the pork rinds, aged ham and oysters to start.  All were unmemorable and lacked any sort of distinction from any other dish I've had in the past.  The ham selection was pretty small and pathetic given the price.  

    Got the rabbit for a main dish.  When presented to me, could not believe how small the portion was.  Quite literally, 3 bites for $25 I think.  What little I did taste, did taste nice though.  

    Now a word about the pork-theme.  If you're trying to riff on the German beer hall, why not go "whole hog" and serve the majestic pork knuckle? There is no finer display of the pig than a crispy, roasted pork knuckle.  Any Munich beer hall worth its salt knows this and does it well.  Anybody can slice up Serrano ham and put it on a plate.  Show me a crispy-skin, moist pork knuckle; then we'll talk about pork devotion.  Until then, Publican are just pretenders to the pig.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/3/2013

    First time going there and I loved it! Our server was so informative and I love the communal atmosphere. They have a huge beer and wine list from different areas in America and abroad. Oh...the food was phenomenal! Try the frites with the egg, so GOOD. Overall had an amazing experience.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/24/2013
    1 check-in

    I had high expectations for The Publican and yet they were still exceeded. The location and the set up of tables is a refreshing change to the norm and really works well. It is almost like a German beer fest where all people share tables and you are part of the party. I expected the meat products to be fantastic based on my experience with their Deli but the seafood dishes were what blew my mind. Paired with exceptional service and very knowledgeable staff The Publican is on of the top locations for great food and a good time. Talk to the people sitting around you, develop food envy of they ordered something you were thinking of ordering and just come back soon and how it's still on the menu as they change 25% of it every day.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/1/2012
    1 check-in

    Have no fear, non-pork eaters.

    I had hesitated to visit the Publican since I cannot eat pork.  Horrible mistake on my part. I did a little more research and found out that the Publican menu is divided by pork/meat and seafood. I had the best tasting oyster platter that I have ever eaten in my life.  Much better than the oyster selection at Topolobampo although Publican is a bit pricier.  After the oysters, my dinner companion and I had tuna tartare. It was so deliciousness that I crave it all the top.  For main courses (small plates), we ordered the sirloin steak, grilled octopus, scallops, and suckling pig. My dinner companion raved about the meat selections. They looked delicious but alas, I could not sample them. Damn food allergies.  The grilled octopus  & scallops was very well seasoned and cooked to perfection.  Cannot wait to go back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/23/2013

    Would definitely come back for its reasonable prices, creative flavors, and quality meats, yum yum!

    The highlights of the meal for me were the potted rilletes, frites (fries), the halibut with wild mushrooms and caviar, the greens with grits, and the taste of 3 hams with their bread and goat cheese butter.

    Rilletes: We had no idea what rilletes were, and you probably don't have any clue either. It doesn't matter, just get this dish. Imagine confit pork and duck leg cooked together into a heavenly meat spread, and mixed with apricots. Put this on crusty country bread. We all agreed this was the best dish of the night.

    Frites: I don't really like fries-- people usually give me a hard time for this, but the real problem is that most fries don't taste like the ones at Publican. These were flavorful, crispy, piping hot, and just amazing dipped in the accompanying mayo sauce. We were sad when our server took away our cone of frites-- I think we still had like 2 left...

    Hallibut with wild mushrooms and caviar: Have you ever had caviar that tastes like maple syrup? I love food that makes your tastebuds go "wait, what?" in a good way. We learned from our very knowledgeable foodie server that the way the caviar is brined determines a lot of its flavor profile-- salty, sweet, etc. The sweet caviar made this fish dish really interesting. Everything worked together-- maybe not perfectly, but it was certainly memorable.

    Greens with grits: I'm not a huge fan of grits normally-- even when I had it in the south, the grits were a bit too dry for me. However, I really liked the greens with grits here. Lots of flavor, but wasn't too salty, and the grits picked up a lot of the juice coming out of the veggies. I think this was notable for me mainly because I finally enjoyed grits in a dish.

    Taste of 3 hams and goat butter: My friends all know I'm nuts about butter, so it's no surprise I loved the goat cheese butter here, which was like really, really light, really soft goat cheese. I enjoyed the hams despite having just returned from Italy and having enough cured meat to last me a lifetime. The quality of the ham was top notch, especially the serrano.

    We also had the:

    -  Pork rinds: Really delicious and satisfying spicy flavor, kind of like nacho cheese doritos but much better. Some people may not like nacho cheese doritos, but I for one, do.

    - Suckling pig: From what I remember, 3 cuts combined. There were pulled-pork like bits, pork belly, and a combination of the two.  Loved the crispiness of pork belly parts, and the bits of fat in the meat were quite delicious. However, this dish wasn't a standout for us because we thought it was still slightly on the dry side.

    - Polish sausage: My friends loved this dish, but I thought it was a bit dry. Has some spice to it. I really enjoyed the root vegetables + olives that came with it on the side-- really nice combo.

    Between 6 of us, we ordered 8 dishes, which was really more than enough. We also ordered the mussels, but our server forgot to put them in. We didn't mind in the end, because we were so stuffed!

    Publican deserves a 5 in my opinion because 1) the food has a touch of something special, and attention is paid to small details; 2) we learned something cool from our server, who was a delight; and 3) the prices are reasonable. You will leave feeling happy and satisfied. Unless you are a vegetarian or don't eat pork. :)

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/23/2011
    3 check-ins
    Listed in GrubWithUs joints

    I feel I've experience all the possible ways one can enjoy Publican. My first time was just for beer and snacks. The pork rinds (chicharon if you're awesome) we're mindblowing. Best I've ever had...if only they served some vinegar to go with it. Great beer selection too.

    Next, dinner on my birthday. The pancetta was crazy...pork tenderloin wrapped in more pork fat. Oh, and a couple more orders of chicharon.

    And today, the fabled Publican brunch. Bacon, prosciutto, pork shoulder, prosciutto (yeah, twice). One of the tastiest omelets I've eaten (with gouda and prosciutto), and the maple bacon was amazing. If I just had a giant platter of their bacon, that'd be the perfect meal for me.

    Filipino's blood are comprised of two things: vinegar and pork. At Publican, I feel like I'm finding new life.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/26/2013

    Amazing offering of meat and fish dishes. It does come off as a little franchise-y at times but overall a fantastic experience with good food. Fried anchovies, tartare and some of their fish options are some of my favorites. Avoid the bull's balls...

  • 2.0 star rating
    2/26/2013

    I think we may have had an overall off experience: off night, off menu, off  with our heads.

    We made reservations almost 2 weeks in advance and still got stuck with a late one, 10:15pm. Not faulting them for this, a great restaurant should be hard to get into. Except when all was said and done it wasn't that great.

    The menu for the night was no longer really accurate as several of the best sounding dishes had been 86'd. So after all of our careful choosing and pairing we were told by a rather rude waitress that they didn't have those things and they should have been crossed off the menu. Back to the drawing board. While we tried to put together a new game plan she came back twice in a very short amount of time. It was clear to us her shift was ending soon and she wanted us to be on desserts before we even had salads. Which, by the way, ended up being completely overdressed. I have not had an overdressed salad in years and it basically set the tone for a sub par evening. The more we were rushed through each course the more I felt like obliging the staff just so we could leave.

    The quality of the meat we ate was high, so if we based our experience merely on the meat sampling it would be 4.5 stars. The duck we had was nothing remarkable though, that I would give 2.5 stars.  

    I would go again if someone else invited me to say a birthday dinner or happy hour there, as the wine list was the only thing I would really say lived up to its reputation besides the meat. I am happy that so many locals and tourists alike have had great experiences here and I am just bummed out mine was so lackluster. If I am going to pay over $100 to eat in what looks like the hipster offspring of a log cabin and a cafeteria the place better come correct.

  • 2.0 star rating
    4/18/2013
    1 check-in

    I don't think I've ever been as disappointed in a restaurant as I was during by Sunday brunch at Publican two weeks ago., mostly because my expectations were so high. Sure, I've had worse meals, but I can't say the disappointment during those was as severe as this, since I thought I'd have a meal to blow the top of my head clean off, which is what happens whenever I go for breakfast at (for example) San Diego's Hash House A Go Go. In this case, however, I was extremely underwhelmed.

    And one thing that made it worse was the inconsistency. We started off with a shared plate of Frites with Fried Eggs, with near perfect frites that had be thinking, boy, is this going to be a great meal or what? And then ...

    Well, I ordered a waffle with jam and butter and a side of maple syrup-braised bacon, while my wife ordered asparagus omelette. Though the bacon was good -- thick and fatty and flavorful -- the waffle was about the least appetizing waffle I've ever had in a restaurant. There was nothing to it. I had no sense of the ingredients, no taste at all -- it was an un-waffle -- and was nothing more than a delivery system for toppings, because it had no flavor of its own. (Cue Peggy Lee singing, "Is that all there is?" Because that's what I was thinking)

    And my wife's omelette -- wasn't even an omelette! It was a solid mass of scrambled eggs, with some asparagus draped over it and on the side. No fillings whatsoever, just egg through and through -- which is NOT an omelette.

    My wife kept cutting into the egg looking for asparagus and other fillings, just like the apocryphal little boy sifting through -- well, you know what he was sifting through -- for a pony. But she was more than disappointed. She was disgusted. And the toast was was so dry as to be almost Melba toast, without even the flavor of Melba toast. I filched a slice from her, and one bite was enough. Which for me, says a lot.

    After hearing for so long how wonderful Publican was, this was heartbreaking. Particularly after our magnificent meal the night before at Next.

    Because of The Publican's rep, I'll likely give it another shot when I'm next in Chicago. But ... not for brunch. I don't think I could bear to be so disappointed twice.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/19/2014

    Went to The Publican last night with a couple of girlfriends and it was great!  Amazing food, great service and so reasonably priced (considering the quantity/quality of the food).  Thought the 'communal' seating would be weird but it was fine.  It's all family style.  We started with a half order of the Serrano Ham, which they serve with delicious Peasant Bread and Goat Butter.  It was great.  Super thin-sliced, which I love.  We also had the Spicy Pork Rinds, which we were not crazy about.  It was my first 'pork rind' experience and it's just not my thing. Now the Chicken Liver Pate with Pickled Cherries and sour dough toasted bread was another story.  Soooo good.  We also had a Pear Salad with creamy goat cheese that was one of the best salads I've ever had, a Brussels Sprout salad that was also great and their Farm Chicken with Summer Sausage and Frites, which was a little salty, but in a good way.  It was delicious.  The fries were in the au jus from the chicken and we couldn't stop eating them.  For dessert we had a rice pudding that had fruit and some kind of buttery puffed rice on top that was seriously good and a chocolate ganache concoction with coffee granita that was good as well.  We were STUFFED by the time we rolled out of there, but in a good way.  Everything (except maybe the chicken liver pate) seemed pretty healthy.  All of the above, plus a bottle of Prosecco, coffee and tea and it was only $60 a head.  I'd go back in a heartbeat.  Next time I'd like to sit in the one of the gated 'pig pens' along the sides of the restaurant.  They looked fun but apparently you have to reserve them specially.  I'd also like to go back for breakfast/brunch.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/1/2014

    Refreshing place on the restaurant scene ..loved the communal seating.. Loved the food .. loved the service.. Great drinks ..

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/2/2014

    Loved everything I ordered.  We ordered so much that I don't actually remember everything.   Oysters were better than most places in Chicago, as was the scallop.  Our server, however, seemed to be in a rush to kick us out, which was off putting.  I'll come back again despite that, so I guess it's not that big a deal.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/10/2012

    Swoon!
    Swooning like a teenage love affair.

    Not over just The Publican, but more specifically, their breakfast foods - I'm lookin' at you, omelette - o scrumptious omelette.

    My sister and I had a special brunch date at The Publican on super bowl Sunday.  We had an early afternoon reservation and the place was packed and * noisy *.  Not just with loud talking, but with rather lively (we referred to it as "clubby") music.  Yes, this was Sunday brunch in an otherwise dead West Loop, but this place was hopping!

    We split three delicious dishes:
    (and actually ordered a fourth, but there must have been a mistake with the waitress because it never came and we weren't charged for it - we were both too stuffed to eat it anyway, so it actually worked out for the best.)

    - Ricotta & Milk-Stout Beer Bread
     SO good.  A new found love of ricotta cheese (and vow to use it in home cooking).  The bread was served atop a big mound of ricotta with honey and apples, and sprigs of greens.  Really nice, fresh combo.  

    - Quiche
     Served with mushrooms, lots of onion, gruyere and a side salad.  Great combo of the cheese, shrooms and onion - with that flaky crust.

    - Omelette
     The. best. omelette I've ever had - seriously.  This thing was like a miracle of eggs.  It was the softest, thickest, juiciest omelette (I'm actually curious how it was cooked so I can try to (most likely unsuccessfully) recreate it on my own) served with gouda, roasted tomato and cauliflower.

    I'd love to return for dinner - hopefully in one of those awesome side booths that close you in.  But, if brunch was this packed/loud, I'm sure it just gets more bustling later on.  Still - fun.  And fantastic food!

    [ The menu item that almost was would be the waffle.  Ah... next time...  ]

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/10/2012
    1 check-in
    Listed in 5-Stars

    Get yourself a fun group of friends and head over to The Publican.  

    There is not much I can add that hasn't been said (a hundred times already) in all the great reviews of this place, so just go read them instead of mine.  Great food.  Amazing service.  Kinda loud.  Great drinks (try the maple whiskey).  

    Buy the kitchen a six-pack.

  • 1.0 star rating
    9/1/2014

    My husband heard this was a great place to eat and he wanted to check it out.  Not too many healthy options on the menu, lots of food options were pock belly and fatty bacons (even with salads), etc.  We ordered Oysters Antonio, our waiter, recommended.  My husband thought they were fine while I thought they tasted fishy.  Antonio told us everything on the menu was great.  He recommended the Mackerel was really good.  I knew it had to be cooked it just right otherwise, it can be bad.  But, I ordered it due to his recommendation.  It was over-cooked and fish tasty.  I wish that I returned it.  My husband ordered Ham Chop; it was $53 (24oz) by surprise and had lots of fat on it too.  Unless, you want to eat lots of junk with high price, I really do not recommend this place.  Wine was mediocre too.  I do not recommend this place!! They were over-rated.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/2/2013

    One of the best dinners of my year!  We dined here on 12/26, and it was quite crowded.  Our table was not ready when we arrived, so we stood at the bar (round individual tables that you wait at) and enjoyed drinks and oysters.  The oyster selection was impressive!  Service was more attentive in the bar than at our table.

    Dinner was amazing:  pork rinds, half order of the muscles (huge and flavorful), half charcuterie plate (creative and devine), shrimp, and scallops.  For dessert, we enjoyed a warm chocolate beet cake....yes beets!  It was heavenly.  The menu changes daily, so the exact components of each dish vary!  The service at the table was not as attentive or as helpful.  Additionally, I was not too pleased with the staging of the meal.

    The space is lovely, bright, and oddly comfortable and intimate even with communal seating.  

    I cannot wait to go back!!

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/12/2013

    Bacon, Bone Marrow, and Bloody Mary. Came here for brunch. Excellent service from the wait staff here. The food is very good for the most part, but the bone marrow dish was a bit heavy and greasy. Maple bacon comes highly recommended and the Bloody Mary has a mean kick to it.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/11/2012

    Absolutely divine.

    Most everything is going to be fantastic but I'd like to take a little time out to write about the pork belly.

    The Publican Pork Belly. Imagine the most divine, tender, juicy, falling off the bone rib meat you've ever had in your life. Then add a wonderful trimming of the most creamy, salty, fatty goodness. And then multiply that by 10.

    Something this good should be illegal. It's the type of entree that turns pretentious vegetarians into hardcore carnivores.

    Make sure you also order the new Rice Pudding Creme Brulee. The pastry chef Anna Shovers is a genius and the wonderful combination of textures and flavors is a fantastic finish to the meal.

    Loved every bite of this meal and you will too.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/10/2013

    Service was great, food was great, beer was great, so why only 4 stars?  Well, nothing really blew me away.  Everything was well done, I don't really have any complaints, but there was no "wow" and that is what I was expecting based on the reviews and reputation.  The thing that stood out to me the most was it was the first time I had a smoked beer that I actually liked and if a bottled beer is the highlight of the meal...  Maybe I'm just getting too picky?

    Now, don't get me wrong, I still love the place and will certainly be back!

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/11/2014

    yummy and high quality but very expensive for portion size

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/17/2013
    1 check-in

    Great dinner experience but I would only recommend this spot for a group so that you can experience more of the menu. The oysters were amazing and the charcuterie was tasty.The beer selection was decent.I'm glad i went but I don't feel like I need to go back...I think I will try Publican Meats across the street.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/19/2011
    1 check-in

    It's the ultra spot for pork lovers. I was so excited I had to fill out the postcards and tell my friends that we should go wild boar hunting to fulfill my pork needs.

    I recommend booking a reservation on Open Table, that way you won't have to wait long. I made a reservation and showed up early. they offer the option of standing at cocktail tables next to the bar and having a few cocktails and appetizers to while away the time.

    Ordered the Bloody Mary with a beer chaser. It was definitely a great choice as most of the items are quite pricey, and if you're like me, you probably drank heavily the night before and can appreciate and electrolyte/potassium boost from the Bloody Mary. The beer was just refreshing and added a nice little buzz to my punch. My friend ordered the Prophecy which was a mixture of Italian vermouth, bitters and an egg. It was a bit like eggnog that punched you right in the face. I ended up having to finish it for her. Think: frothy whiskey-like substance you don't know whether you'd love to hate it, or you'd want to make sweet love to it.

    The pork rinds were great. Fresh and crispy. The bacon is a dream. Think thick sliced pork fat back that is braised. My only issue is that at those prices, you'd be better off going Lord of the Flies style and hunting down your own pig.

    Ordered the pork shoulder with grits and the friend ordered the Bibimbob. We took the advice of the couple next to us who said to just order the pork. They can do no wrong. An yes, they did a whole lot of right. It was tasty and tender. Although I think my pork shoulder was better than the bibimbob. Tables are long cafeteria style tables. Much like Harry Potter style dormitory eating.

    I was a fan. The bill did make me blink. But this is a highly rated gastropub. Try at least once before you write it off.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/21/2012

    Def fan of Publican.  Chose to dine here on V-day knowing full well how awful the cliche "v-day" tables can be, one right on top of another.  When I made the reso I even asked to have a 2-top table and not be seated at their extensive selection of communal seating.  They couldn't promise, but they did deliver.  That made the night for me right there!

    Our waitress was friendly and knew the menu very well.  Also she was able to suggest beers which was very helpful and appreciated.  The food was def not my thing but my bf loves pork so that is why we went.  The ribs were really good tho.  He loved the blood sausage and the brussel sprouts.  My fav was dessert.  Def do not skip!  The carrot cake was fantastic!!  

    Oh and I loved the decor.  Everything was great, so different and unusual.  I would def recommend Publican.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/7/2013

    Dined here solo back in July while on a business trip.  

    Walking the meatpacking neighborhood alone trying to find the Publican makes you feel like you're in a horror film walking in a deserted warehouse district, expecting at any moment to see a meat cleaver wielding murderous maniac in a white butcher suit covered in steers' blood chasing you down.  OK that's perhaps a bit over the top... but trust me it's not that much of a stretch.  

    The above point aside, don't come here alone and expect to feel satisfied you tried enough, unless you plan on gorging yourself as I did.  Everything on the menu appears at first glance to be a must-try.  Some highlights:  pork rinds, duck and foie gras terrine, and Basque fish stew.  I didn't have anything I didn't like.  

    I'd love to go back with a small group and enjoy the communal seating and ability to order like 3x what I was able to eat without wasting food!

  • 3.0 star rating
    11/6/2012
    1 check-in

    I wanted to love love love the Publican, and maybe one day I will, but mostly I walked away from our dinner last night confused.  Let's go through why I was confused.

    Puzzle A: seating.  I love communal seating, some of my favorite restaurants (Serious Pie in Seattle,  Barley Swine in Austin) have communal seating.  I like chatting with strangers about their meals, I like the trendiness of it (because I want to be a hipster).  But I like it when it's done well.  When the restaurant was maybe 3/4 empty, we were told we'd have a 15-20 minute wait.  Okay, maybe there's reservations and stuff.  15-20 minutes later, we're seated very specifically in the middle of a very long, very empty table.  The whole place is still maybe 2/3 empty.  Why were we not seated in these same empty chairs 15-20 minutes ago?  We're confused, but not upset, and let it slide.  

    Then a big group sits to our right, leaving two chairs empty between us and them.  And a couple sits directly next to us, leaving the entire empty half table on their other side.  And we eat for maybe an hour, and eventually one of the chairs on our right gets filled.  So... that was weird.  

    The seats are too close to each other, and this wouldn't be an issue if there weren't SO MANY EMPTY SEATS on either side of us.  Instead the six of us are all trying not to bump elbows and plates and the aggressively efficient water-fillers (take a sip, count to ten, I bet that water glass is full again) while there's SO MUCH SPACE next to us.  Part of the joy of communal seating is that bustling feeling, but oh my goodness there's no need if there's no need.

    Puzzle B: separate tabs.  During said wait we stood at the cocktail/bar area and had some beer and the taste of three hams (so good).  The hostess approached us and told us to settle our tab, then she'd show us our table.  We did so, but with much confusion.  This is literally the same room, right?  We're moving seven feet away.  Other places transfer tabs... right?  Am I crazy?  What's going on here?  Why are there giant paintings of pigs on the walls?  Actually those are awesome.

    Puzzle C: mysterious illness.  After eating some of the veal tartare, boy's stomach took a nose dive.  I ended up putting him in a cab and meeting him at home, where he proceeded to lie down for a few hours and drink some ginger tea.  I was fine though.

    Puzzle D: area.  That's fine though, and part of the charm.  No need to walk alone around here at night.

    Great things: smoked char with poached egg, frisee, beets.  Absolutely spectacular dish; like watching fireworks (super loud, smoky, awesome ones).  You can't really tell if you like it, but you're definitely enjoying it.    

    Taste of three hams with goat butter and peasant bread: razor thin slices of three kinds of ham, lots of fatty savoriness, some sweetness, the butter was like cheese.  So good.  

    Beer list: unusual, fascinating, and full of fun.  Loved our beers and our server at the cocktail area.

    Good things: sunchokes and turnips: blackened and sweet, which is great, with pistachios and figs, awesome, and some orange slices.  Flip back to the puzzles.  This was confusing.  But good!
    Squash and marinated kale: spicy, roasty, fall-y, delicious.  A very solid dish.

    Service: extremely prompt, perhaps too much so (the water thing was a little too fast).  Loved getting the new small plates with each course.  Very friendly

    So overall, food was quite good, but our experience was a bit lacking given the price point.  Boy wants to go back for a nice meal sometime, and I'm game to try again, especially since I wasn't the one to get sick from it.  Maybe next time the seating won't be quite so confusing.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/23/2013

    Bacon strips the size of a cube of butter!  This place is hands down the best breakfast in Chicago.  Brand-spanking-new menu every time I come here.  Insane beer menu that includes a vast array of Belgian farmhouse, lambics, regional IPAs, barleywines, and all suited to pair with their incredible food menu.  I had the pork shoulder with scrambled eggs, black beans, and ranchero salsa.  I also had to preclude that with some blocks of bacon... yes I said blocks.  So good.  I also had to get some Belgian frites to go with my lambic.  Make sure to carve out about 3 hours to eat here because you'll want to try everything on the menu.

    We also had the pumpkin cake topped with cinnamon and brown sugar.  So good.  Please open one up in Seattle.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/23/2012
    1 check-in

    The Publican is everything I thought it would be, and much more. The ambiance was great, casual yet refined, and the service was very much on point the entire evening. However, you just really can't beat the food. Their menu changes daily and basically sells out every day. This is to ensure the freshest ingredients go into your meal, and it really does make a difference.

    I went dined with 5 friends. We ordered about 12 items and there was nothing that I simply did not love. A few dishes that stood out to me the most were the Serrano, Spicy Pork Rinds, Fish Stew, and Farm Chicken. Unbelievably good.

    The only thing I didn't love is their "family-style" type dining. The plates are just a bit too small to share, so I would just prefer a traditional 3-course meal, but hey, that may be just me. Overall though, a fine establishment that you should definitely try for yourself!

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/20/2013

    Guinea hen!
    Hot damn! That currant sauce on the couscous was hands down amazing.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/5/2013

    Super Delicious!  Everything we had here was just phenomenal, from first courses all the way to desert, and our beers were great as well.

    Absolute best dish we had was the fried clams with orange, parmesan, and russian dressing, but the Cajun Boudin Blanc Sausage was a close second...followed equally closely by everything else we had, including the guinea hen, the ribs, and the pistachio pot de creme for desert. The atmosphere is delightful - the booths with the little doors on them are a really cool touch- and the servers were all really nice and helpful.

    This is really a 4.5 star review...only a .5 because they were out of three or four beers on the menu and we sort of had to play a "I'd like that!...oh, you don't have that? how about this one? oh, you don't have that either?" But, the beers we DID get were completely phenomenal and well recommended, and paired perfectly with the food.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 5.0 star rating
    3/7/2013
    1 check-in

    I've been here twice now, both times the food has been top notch.  I like their dining room layout as well, where there is one giant table wrapped around the restaurant with smaller booths on the side.  It helps the place to not feel crowded even when it is packed.

    They do a good job keeping interesting beers on tap, although last time I was there, they only had 6/12 of their tapped beverages available, claiming that they were preparing for a tap takeover the next day.  I can understand why they would do this, but we still felt kind of cheated.  Everything that we wanted to try from the tap list was unavailable or replaced with something disappointing.

    The food here more than makes up for that though.  Every dish is simply delectable.  Come with a group and order lots to share, that way you get to sample lots of different things.  My favorites are the duck and the suckling pig.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/10/2012

    This place...

    Cool lofty room, booth has a door (!) on it and creates a nice vibe for convo...but the star of this place is ov the food...incredibly well done...what we had below...

    -Spicy pork rinds - perfect porkrinds with a bit of a kick, great to have on the table

    -Broccoli with burratta- savory red pepper sauce, broccoli a bit charred and compliments perfectly creamy  burratta- with a hint of lime, perfect blend of texture and taste.

    -Boudin blanc- This sausage was cooked perfectly had a soft, crumbly interior which actually made it simewhat delicate (has anyone ever said that about sausage???). So so good- maybe the best boudin blanc I've had

    -Hamachi crudo- the capers and onion made for a bit of a sour taste, but not in abad way...very interesting, very good...high quality hamachi. Super light and nice balance to the other more heavy stuff

    -Swordfish with pumpkin- almost tagine- like, served in some sort of clay pot/dish with super fresh mussels and bread-dip worthy sauce. Very very good- a bit sweet but not overpowering.

    Chicken with fries- Oh...my...possily the best chicken we've had- juicy with a grilled/crispy skin, duck fat fries with egg on top...a decadent way to end the meal...and the perfect closer. Highly recomend this one as well.

    We also had a cider I can't remember from France that was delicious and a crisp accompaniment to the gastropub stuff we ate.

    This place is worth the hype.

  • 1.0 star rating
    3/17/2013

    I just dont get the hype for this place.  Went for brunch last Sunday with my partner and it was awful. It started from the crappy hostess that acts like she doing you a favor by looking up the reservation. The waitress was terrible, slow to take order, slow to get food. Food was terrible, I ordered an egg skillet type dish that was more like an Indian Stew, but it was so temperature hot that I could not eat it, the eggs were WAY overcooked to the point of being rubber.  She never came back to check on us and the busser took the food that I never touched.
    There are way better places in the City that have fantastic menus, chefs, service and attitude.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/19/2013

    Great breakfast one of the best I have had I. Chicago. Would be a great breakfast in a foodie city and the menu is interesting yet when you get your food you see the twist on a common breakfast dish. Loved the duck confit, the bacon, the French toast, their version of eggs Benedict. Coffee is better as French press than drip.

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/20/2013

    Walls, lights and bar look like a disco. Bizarre pig paintings and corrals for the booths with doors that swing into people in the aisle. The poor waiters had to wear mechanic shirts with their names sewed on. Strange decor, but let's get to the food.

    Heaven or Hell Belgium BOM brewery beers, the lighter heaven one was flat and not worth the $9 status. Two brothers hoppy rye ale was delicious for $6.

    Charcuterie plate was good. Nice flavors. Crab plate came with much more pasta than crab. The amount of salt was extreme and had to be sent back. Server took it off of our bill. Duck was tasty but too much salt. Goats milk ice cream had a salty accent. Beets were very tasty, cauliflower was fine. Beef's heart was sliced thin and tasted like high quality gyro meat.

    The servers consistently left empty plates on our table, once letting me hold a plate while he described the food, telling me he'll grab it in a sec. The main server was petulant but fine. Another server very good.

    If you're going to sell $50 bottles of beer, attempt to mesh varied design and come with a confident menu than 'bring it'. Publican didn't 'bring it.' It had good, overly salty food, a messy atmosphere and mediocre service.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/18/2014

    This is the first time to come to chi town and I heard this restaurant  from a friend. I went this place with my girl. The place is AMAZING! We love the oyster and the ham! The place is a little bit far from down town though.

  • 2.0 star rating
    11/9/2012

    I'm giving this place 3 stars because it had serious potential for us. I almost can't rate it, however, my experience cannot be unspoken. We cabbed it here at 10 pm on a Friday night. We are from Philly. We rely on beer advocate suggestions, and by the looks of the beer menu, dead on in Quantity and quality...HOWEVER.... Knock, knock?  Knock, knock?  Knock, knock!?  We strolled up at a 10 pm, We were taken to our communal table with a very impressive, vast beer menu, was greeted by a server with 30 seconds... Hardly had enough time to soak in the menu, then poof... Never saw her again. 20 minutes went by, so we left. Wish it worked out. Maybe next time we are in Chicago.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/14/2012

    Dearest hipsters of Chicago:

    Wow, you sure know where to eat!

    I felt some semblance of your acceptance as I nonchalantly noted the irony of eating bacon and sausage while sitting in a converted pigpen.

    But that was the best I could do to be one of you. There was no way I could maintain your bored/aloof/neutral facade in the presence of thick slices of maple-braised bacon, house-smoked fish, red-wine-poached eggs, frites with fried eggs and whatever other deliciousness being paraded within inches of my face.

    Please continue to draw attention to establishments such as this so that I may humbly follow in your footsteps.

    Love,

    Poseur foodies of the world

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/29/2013
    1 check-in

    Had dinner here a few months back and still haven't stopped drooling over the pork... Had to come by for the brunch.  As expected,I was not let down. The bacon is enough reason to get up, or stay awake, on Sunday morning to stumble in here and eat that previous night away. The poached egg in red wine was a game changer by the way.. Get it ...

  • 3.0 star rating
    12/15/2013

    Went here for brunch with a friend. We split a couple of dishes, each of which were good but not amazing. I wish I'd ordered more to get a better sense for the place, and I should really come back for dinner, because I don't think our brunch was anything spectacular.

  • 2.0 star rating
    11/22/2011

    I wanted to give a good review for this place. Unfortunately, we didn't have the greatest experience. First off, not worth the 1.5 hr wait we had when we got there near opening time on a Sunday. We actually had 1:30pm reservations, but we were hoping more for brunch, so we got there by 10:15a. The hostess escorted us to the waiting standing "bar" area, and we ordered some juice and coffee. As more and more people showed  up (a lot of people also had reservations), the ones who didn't have reservations were hanging out with us. At some point, we noticed everyone who arrived after us, somehow got seated first. WTH? They seemed very stingy with their seating, and what I also noticed was that they weren't very efficient in cleaning up and clearing tables out after people left.

    Onto the food. After we complained twice about waiting so long, we finally got seated, and they offered us complimentary a maple syrup pecan pastry (delicious!) and an apple cake (ok). I have to say, their coffee was really delicious as well, very smooth. But for our main course, I went with the pork belly bibimbap, one of my friends went with the waffle. Waffle was just okay according to my friend, and for me, the kimchi was just waaaay too overpowering in the bibimbap. We also ordered the maple glazed bacon which came out a few minutes after our main courses. It was good. When we wanted to pay our bill, it took a while for our waiter to come back to us. Had to flag him down a few times. Perhaps my experience would have been a lot better had we gotten our desired reservations, but I'd save my time and go somewhere else.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/3/2013

    My plus 1 and I went the other night to celebrate.   I had not been there to eat since Publican had first opened in 2008 (or was it 2007?).  We had been there recently for drinks in the afternoon and wanted to back to eat.

    We love that they source their food (meat and produce) from local farms.

    We loved the Roast Chicken (1/2).

    We had the Beets and the veggie dishes clearly stand up on their own on a meat heavy menu.  Great flavors.

    Solid and well thought out beer selection.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/4/2011
    2 check-ins
    Listed in Eater 38

    I took my cousin here for dinner and had an excellent meal.

    First we got ourselves a beer. Their beer menu was extensive. Once we got our beers, we ordered the halibut crudo, country ham which came with goat butter and peasant bread, spicy pork rinds, and country ribs. Everything was delicious especially the crudo and the ribs. I thought the spicy pork rinds was all right. Next time I want to get the hanger steak and sweetbreads. I still wasn't full so I got a peach cobbler for dessert. I ate all of that by myself.

    Definitely want to come back here for dinner again and brunch.

    I made my reservations a month in advance and no issues getting the 7:30 pm slot. Plan ahead!

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/22/2012

    Pork rinds had too much lime flavor but excellent crunchiness
    Arctic char is soooo good
    Shrimp and grits too salty
    Corn delicious but too much sauce and lose the corn natural sweetness
    Service good and more than made up for the fact that they ran out of the dishes we really wanted- hence the on the house arctic char which was the best thing that night!

  • 3.0 star rating
    11/17/2012

    Good, not great. My friend and I shared a half-dozen oysters, which were fresh but not very flavorful. The whole sharing-dishes concept is good in theory, but my friend's fish stew came out way before the chicken/frites/carrots dish came for my wife and I. My wife doesn't eat seafood, so it was awkward waiting for our food to arrive. Once it did, everything on our plate was quite good. I don't know, I was just expecting to be wowed by the food, atmosphere and service, yet the experience was lacking. However, I'd be willing to try again.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/13/2013

    I came here for brunch and its a solid spot to fill your face with some gut busting gourmet goodness.

    Braised lamb with a side of frites and maple covered bacon hit the spot.  Washed it down with a bloody mary and its side kick...an ale.

    i like the booths on the side where they ring fenced customers in... more privacy compared to the communal tablee (which are annoying).

    overall a solid spot in chicago and would definitely come here again to fill my pie hole.

  • 3.0 star rating
    7/23/2014

    Good place to go with a large group. Cool looking place but very loud so not the best place to have a conversation. We went for brunch and the food was good but nothing to rave about. The drinks were pretty good though and the bacon was yummy! If you haven't been, it's worth a try.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/24/2013

    Delicious delicious fatty pork. I ordered the pig in a blanket and it was a mouth watering combination of fatty pork shoulder and fried dough topped with an egg. Add a side of bacon (pork belly) for extra happiness.

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/5/2014

    Once again, excellent oysters, good beer & wine.   Several dishes had too much sauce, things like a cold thin sliced pork was covered in so much sauce the pork became irrelevant. Several dishes served like that, lacked a little finesse.  Still, you must be DOA to not enjoy yourself at this place.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/17/2012
    1 check-in

    Eat here.

    Take some pictures.  

    Order Pork belly.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/10/2012

    This is one of the true gems in Chicago. First of all if you're a vegetarian, this might not work, otherwise you're in for a treat.

    Really nice laid back atmosphere, that wants you to drink beer as much as a nice wine. The best oyster selection in the midwest. Be sure to also get a cured meat dish. The Spanish ham was incredible.

    There's is really nothing you can order here that you will dislike. Make sure the Publican is on your bucket list.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/24/2013

    Went there this past Sunday for my birthday and throughly enjoyed the experience. My wife and I had made reservations beforehand because we knew how popular this place was. Upon checking in we were seated right away at our table by the window.

    We started out with the chef's choice oysters and each was presented to us with a paper describing the name and location where each was sourced. Following that we had a chicken liver pate which was excellent, a sampling of the three hams, a pancetta dish with lobster mushrooms, and a corn dish prepared in a very unique way which tasted amazing, easily the best dish of the night.

    All in all the service throughout the night was adequate, not great but not as bad as some other reviewers stated. Food was all around great and the portions were more than enough for the two of us. We will definitely be coming back sometime soon

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/22/2012

    I capped off my gastronomic journey through Chicago with a visit to the Publican.  How could I resist an establishment built on a foundation of premium meat and seafood?  The communal, beer-hall, seating was interesting, giving this upscale restaurant a down-to-earth feel.  It kinda reminded me of Hofbrauhaus.

    Stuffed with food and booze throughout the day, we passed on the extensive beer menu.  We opted for the arctic char, chicken liver pate, fish stew, and suckling pig for a party of 3.  Service was a bit slow, and we had to ask twice for bread.

    The arctic char dish was an excellent start to the meal.  It was served with salad greens, sweet cherry tomatoes, and soft cheese over crostini.  I really like the flavor combination, although I could have used some more fish.

    The pate, however, ended up being a disappointment.  The bread was slathered with overly sweet grape jelly, overpowering the dish and creating a strange flavor profile that made my friend stop eating after one bite.  I almost finished my piece, but it was just too overwhelming.

    Luckily, a huge pot of fish stew came out after.  Loaded with clams, mussels, shrimp, and more, this was definitely a hidden gem on the menu.  Its vibrant and bold flavors spoke volumes over its somewhat pedestrian menu description, and I'm really glad my friend wanted to order it.

    Our last stop was the suckling pig dish, very moist and flavorful.  The sweet cornmeal and slightly bitter and sour greens complimented the pork nicely, and I couldn't stop eating it.

    I thought we'd be too full for dessert, but I can never say no good bread pudding.  It was sinfully delightful, and I was very satisfied with the end of the meal.  Oh, and the bathrooms are pretty cool too.  Aside from the pate and average service, I had a great experience and would definitely like to come back to try some more dishes.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/20/2013

    Very good, straight-up food. Meat, fat, cheese, more meat, more fat, more cheese.

    Cool decor, laid-back atmosphere, and worth being on your foodie-rotation.

  • 2.0 star rating
    8/1/2014

    Hate to say it but was not great. Took forever to seat us for brunch even though we had a reservation, The server was not helpful or patient, and the pastry that we shared to start (pecan roll) seemed like it was from a package.  I got the lobster scramble.  Yes there was a fair portion of lobster but there was nothing special about it whatsoever.  The presentation wasn't very nice either.  Overall not worth it for the price.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/17/2013
    2 check-ins

    Finally got to try this place. I'm digging the concept of it being a public house, where there are only 2 long tables that seats most,of the guests. I also like the family - style food sharing concept.
    Of the dishes I tasted, they were all incredibly well put together! Wonderful flavor profiles and twists on traditional dishes. The vegetable preparation was a wonderful complement to the meats on the dishes.
    I was also happy with the tap list. A little something for everyone, but nothing commonplace. The bottle list was also nice, but nothing I've never had before.
    I dig this place. I wouldn't suggest it for parties larger than 4 though, because its quite loud in there.

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/25/2012

    It pains me to only give The Publican 3 stars. They do so many things so well, and the ambiance was really nice. Great drinks, delicious oysters, and oh that bacon... it's just to die for. But seriously, we had two orders of frites with a fried egg on top and the eggs were just... not good. My boyfriend sent his back (due to being extremely overcooked - I'm taking completely hard yolk) and the second round was just as hard. How hard is it to fry an egg? The frites were sort of meh also. Nothing special. I'll update my rating upon returning and ordering something else.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/12/2012

    Two words: Pork. Belly.

    Everything here was absolutely wonderful, with the pork belly being intoxicating-ly good.  

    The cured hams were like meat butter that melted in your mouth.

    The oysters were as fresh as the Prince of Bel-Air; every one tasted salty, clean and crisp. Yet each had distinct, delicious flavors.

    The dry-aged duck breast was cooked to perfection;  And the squash and currant that accompanied it shouldn't be ignored, either.  

    We even managed to squeeze in a vegetable--the beets accompanied with a "coleslaw" of sorts.  While very good, they aren't exactly a shining dish next all of the amazingly crafted carnivore creations there.  However, that isn't to say they weren't also  VERY good.  

    As thousands have said before me, just go and eat and drink until you're gleeful and content.  You will not regret it.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/15/2013

    DAG.  This place is O-SOME.

    Went there on Wednesday night with the wife.  Made reservations for 6 but ended up getting there late because of the baby.  Always have to blame the baby.  They were very understanding and gave us corner seats so that we could eat side by side without bumping elbows.  We also had tickets to The Book of Mormon at 7:30 so we had to eat and run.  Our waiter was SUPER cool and made sure we got all of our food right away so that we wouldn't be late to our show.  We ordered: 2 amazing beers, spicy pork rinds, butternut squash, the dungeness crab, the country rib and - the best part - the chef's selection of oysters.  The meal was perfect.  Dinner for 2 (including tax, tip and a couple drinks) cost us less than $100...AND we ended up taking a lot of food home.

    This is the second time I've been here and I plan on going back next week for appetizers and drinks with some coworkers.  Street parking is a lot easier to find than you'd expect.  Hope this helps convince you to check this place out!

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/18/2013

    i just went here yesterday for a sunday brunch. it was fully packed at 1 pm and i feel its a bit noisy but then again. its sunday and i really like the decor in there.
    me and my brother had the publican pho and the maple roasted pork loin which was fantastic, but just a little comment on it, as the food were served in my table, its not hot anymore. so they should improve on it. taste wise it was excellent , both of us loved our food .and for dessert , we share a pecan cinnamon bun which was a bit too sweet but very moist and flavourful. i would come back to try their lunch/dinner menu next time

  • 3.0 star rating
    7/28/2014 Updated review

    2nd visit, Sunday brunch and LOUD though not packed. Food was great but they had to split us (party of 12) into 2 groups at 2 tables, never did get a good explanation on that. Chicago thing of not splitting checks sucks.

    3.0 star rating
    6/10/2013 Previous review
    Went Friday June 7th with a party of three. First observation, as others have noted, LOUD, very… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    1/11/2014

    Slightly weird ambiance and menu, but delicious dishes. Sautéed sprouts, hamachi, fried cod and onion rings, Serrano ham and great bread and butter. Tapas esque but good value.

  • 2.0 star rating
    1/11/2014

    Great food! The servers were very rude and rushed our group to leave.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/9/2013

    This was the best meal I've ever had.  Yellowtail crudo, pork belly, brussel sprouts...even the chicken and frites were amazing.  Service was top notch.  Thank you Chicago!  You do meat gooood.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/5/2013

    They do amazing things with the swine at this wonderful dreamland. This place satiated my porky lady boner like no other place could! Get the pork rinds, bacon, and porchetta. And please Paul Kahan open up a place in Milwaukee!!!!

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/26/2014

    I really wanted to give this place 5 stars. Honestly it's been one of the best meals I've had in my 5 years of living in Chicago. Our service did not live up to the food however. It was tough to get our waiter's attention to order initially. We got 2 items right away (pork rinds and frites) which were both delicious but then had 40 minutes until our next dish came out. During that time our waiter only came once to tell us food was "on the way". Finally after we got his attention, he realized that the "kitchen had a mix up with our order" and he brought us a complimentary kale salad which was a nice gesture. Finally our main meals came out (trout- simply amazing, lamb leg, blood sausage which my husband loved, and pork stew). Would definitely go back there again and just hope for a different service experience.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/11/2013

    The Publican represents another one of several trendy restaurants and this area. Their menu focuses mostly on heavy, meaty dishes. If you're a vegetarian, I'd probably say this isn't worth a visit for you.

    We really pigged out, ordering the blood sausage, ham plate, seafood chowder, arctic char, cheddar broccoli, and frites. The highlights of this selection were actually the seafaring animals, which isn't what we came in expecting. The char and the chowder with both outstanding. The chowder is good for about 4 bowls, so keep that in mind when you consider ordering it. The broccoli was also great.

    The blood sausage and ham plate were only ok. They were well-made, but nothing that really would knock your socks off more than any other good cut of meat.

    One other note that has been mentioned in other reviews, but I wanted to reenforce - the seating is completely communal. It's mostly long German beer hall style tables. Some may dig this, but I really hate it. I don't necessarily mind being crammed in with my friends, but I don't like to be elbow to elbow with some strangers, some of whom might be horrible tourists.

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/17/2010

    My hubby and I came on a Sunday night around 9:00 p.m., and it was still packed. The atmosphere was nice, but I did not like the seating structure. My elbows were literally touching the person next me. I felt as if I was back in grade school eating in the cafeteria. I saw that there were also pig pen like seats along the walls. I'm not sure how I feel about those seat either. They look interesting, but poor servers would have to go in and out of those pens in order to serve food. Now for the food.

    Appetizer:
    Bouchot mussels from Stonington, Maine: gueuze, bay, celery, butter and baguette - delicious and huge portion
    Spicy pork rinds - very good, tasted similar to Cheetos, but better
    Entree:
    Farm chicken from Slagel family farm, Fairbury, Illinois: whole or half chicken with summer sausage and frites Half portion - good, but nothing special, taste similar to grilled Greek chicken
    Suckling Pig - too salty and kind of boring

    Overall, it was okay, but I don't think I will be back until I've exhausted all my options.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 5.0 star rating
    4/15/2010

    I love pork and therefore I love The Publican.

    Their menu reads like a foodie's wet dream, which makes it tough to narrow down your selections. The three most memorable things about the night were the crispy pig ears, the head cheese and our friend not realizing the hot waitress was hitting on him. We didn't drink nearly as much beer as I thought we were going to, but I blame all the pig we ate. The choices were certainly there were we willing.

    The community tables is an interesting idea, but I'm not sure it's for me. Thankfully we had one of the penned in booths; an improvement that still had me feeling a bit claustrophobic. I could see how people wouldn't like the atmosphere, with the hustle and bustle, but the food makes it all worthwhile.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/5/2014

    Didn't really like the atmosphere as it felt a little forced and all over the place. The uniforms worn by the wait staff were also kind of strange ... which seems like a staple in Chicago dining.

    The food, however, was not a disappointment in the least. We ordered the ham sampler, frites with egg, brussel sprouts, lamb, and scallops. The portion sizes were great for sharing and the various plates showed up at our table in a sensical and timely way. The service was okay, but not as responsive or attentive as other eateries of the same ilk. We found ourselves waiting a little longer than we should have to order and the server was only helpful with ordering after being pressed a little bit for more info. Being unfamiliar with what "small to big" really meant as far as plate sizes went on the menu because it was our first time there, we asked about portion sizes and at first only received a canned response, again, about portions going from small to large in the menu sections. I like when my server has more confidence in suggesting the number of plates for the table and describing the portion sizes when I'm visiting places that have share plates and family style dining for the first time. We seemed to have made some good choices though because we had just enough food.

    All of the dishes were good and well-balanced, with the exception of the lamb sausage which was too salty even when paired with the other offerings on the plate. The dessert was really very good, too, making the whole meal a delight from start to finish.

    I would recommend a visit to this restaurant, but it wasn't my favorite! It was a nice casual place for a good dinner.

  • 1.0 star rating
    3/29/2014

    ABSOLUTELY DISAPPOINTED

    came here for a date the other night. yes the food was amazing but service was unbelievably terrible. our waitress had about 5 - 6 tables. we were one of her first tables and when it was just us she came by every so often. her recommendations were useless and her attitude was even worse. when we asked what a nice bottle of wine, she read us the prices.
    As soon as tables started to fill up it was very evident as to what was actually going on. our waitress was profiling us. yes we are a young couple and were probably 5 years younger than anyone else in the general area but that didnt not stop us from ordering a 200$ tab. After ordering a bottle of wine she initially poured us our glasses and never again checked if a refill was necessary. As nice of a restaurant it is, i will not return. At that price i expect service to match and not the wait staff looking for which table will leave them the biggest tip.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/12/2012

    I've now been to Publican for Dinner and for Brunch.  I was impressed both times!!!  For dinner there are lots of options, some favorites were the fries with a fried egg and the pork belly.  Everything we had was delicious!  We just went to brunch today and it was fabulous.  We started off with the maple bacon, it was the most delicious bacon I've ever had...it's a must! We also had the pretzel with cheese which was very good.  We started off with those as appetizers with bloody marys.  I have to say they get extra points for giving you a side car beer with your bloody!!  I had the pork belly (loved it so much at dinner I had to try the breakfast version), it was great, spicy and had Korean spicy cabbage.  Everyone ordered a different brunch item and I'm convinced that you couldn't make a bad decision as all 4 of ours were amazing.  

    Must Order: Bacon!
    Tip: Make sure you make a reservation, also tables outside are first come first serve with reservation

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/11/2011

    Came here for breakfast while in town and yum!!

    Décor: Interesting. It has an upscale feel but at the same time, it's set up like a barn/farm. The booths to the sides are 'gated' like in pigpens and the main tables that spawn the restaurants are communal tables, and these in turn, circle around a cocktail/drink/mingling area. It seems like they took care of every sort of seating!

    Service: Fantastic! Always had my water and coffee constantly filled and was constantly checked up on without being annoying, haha.

    Food:
    - Zucchini bread with blackberry and walnuts & ricotta cheese: SO yummy!! I didn't' expect it to be so delicious and decadent. I warn you to not get so full on this yet for more yummy things!
    - I got the red wine poached egg benedict. I personally did not think the red wine that it was poached in added anything much to the flavor, but I enjoyed that the hollandaise sauce wasn't overpowering. Proscuitto isn't really my thing, but I do admit that this was fresh and tender.
    - Friend got the works, with the biscuit, bacon, potatos, etc dish. It was ginormous and he seemed to like his dish too!

    Overall: I loved this place. Yes, it's a bit pricey but I thought it was worth it. Oh and love the coffee mugs!

  • 2.0 star rating
    1/14/2013 Updated review

    I really tried to like you Publican, I really did. I just don't get the hype. I really don't. The space is weird and awkward. The service is bad. And the food is nasty. Nobody should eat fried pig skin. Ever.  But those who do eat freaky fried foods will continue to come.

    I will say the chicken was good...but that is it. Possibly they do well at the "normal" American foods, but everything else is gross and inhumane.

    3.0 star rating
    10/9/2012 Previous review
    This review is for brunch. The restaurant itself is adorable--rustic, Scandinavian, stylish for… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    12/6/2011

    great blood sausage paired with picked dijon; pork rind with cheddar didn't make the mark :( The octopus was good, just I don't like how it is paird with barely-cooked lentils
    Went there with my girl friends and were served with friendly waiters! BUT they are so eager to clean your food even though we are apparently working on it!

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/22/2013

    I went here with a group of four and we shared all of our plates, and boy did we eat well. We started with a taste of 3 hams and the pickle plate, which is actually several different things pickled from onion to asparagus. The mussels came with crusty bread for dipping in the sauce, and then we tucked into pork ribs and perfectly sirloin steak with a tangy horseradish sauce. We were too full to even look at the dessert menu. Its pricey, but worth it for a special dinner to share with the people you love. I am sure to come back in the future for more of their tasty food.
    We sat outside so I cannot really comment on the decor, but the service was excellent and our waitress was very attentive

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/10/2013
    2 check-ins

    This is a review on their brunch. I've been here for their dinner when they first opened, but don't recall much about that meal. We came here at 1p and was seated right away.

    Like their other restaurants, expect that you will be sitting next to strangers while you dine.

    We ordered the:
    Duck confit open face sandwich - it was very decadent and definitely did not need to eat more for the rest of the day. The dish was very well balanced and even though it sounded heavy, I finished every single bite.
    Pull pork sandwich - publican is known for their pork products and this proves once again they know what they are doing when it comes to pork.

    I would definitely come here again for brunch.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/3/2012

    A totally fun dining experience, and the food is beautifully prepared and highly tasty. Pork lovers will be in heaven, but there appear to be many non-pork options for those with different tastes. I will definitely be returning.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/17/2014

    Great beer selection, amazing meat dishes (Pork Belly being the most noteworthy) and the vegetables and fish are incredible too! The sweet potato side was actually like a dessert.  So good. I thought it was pretty fun to sit in one of the 'pig pens' as well!

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/1/2012

    Nom Nom Nom

    If I was the incredible Hulk, I would pick this place up and carry it back to Pittsburgh with me.

    Getting drunk and eating great brunch should really happen every day. The downside is, I dont have a trust fund to live off of. Alas, I can still enjoy it for what it is, a brief moment of brunching bliss.

    The drinks are fantastic cocktails, crafted with top shelf spirits and a know how of mixology.

    I believe I had a fried pork chop with redeye gravy and.......it was awesome. With around 10 people here it was a pass-it-on-down the line affair and I really got to sample a variety of great food. Everything was cooked perfectly, with a unique combination of flavors. I would return any time I am in the windy city.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/15/2012

    I was in Chicago for vacation and have heard many good things about this place from friends and from the Internet. Indeed, it did not disappoint me. The place was fantastic. It is on par with some of the better restaurants i have tried in New York with better known chefs.

    I walked in here for dinner without reservations, not a problem, we were quickly seated. We ordered three things between my girlfriend and I, and the portion were huge. To start off we had the pig ear salad. It was perfectly put together as all the ingredient compliment each other in taste. The pig ear also kept it's taste after being deep fried (unlike the fried pig ear from the purple pig which just tasted like oil).  

    We also ordered the ribs - it is more like pork chops. It was tender and juicy. There was a hint of sourness in the flavor which contrasted against the taste of the pork meat and made it that much flavorful.

    Then there is the pork tongue. It came with 3 different ways of making it. One is like a sausage, the other one is just fried on a skilled and one more i have no idea how it was made. Regardless how it was made, it all tasted great with different texture. It came in a big pan with lots of oil in it. Originally i thought it was too oily. however, you can not taste or even feel the oil once you start eating it (I don't like oil unless it is fried chicken).

    The servers were quick and attentive, my water cup was never empty.

    I was hoping to come here for brunch but I was not able to. will definitely come back next time when I am in town

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/12/2014

    I had read about the restaurant in Bon Appetit and figured I would give a go.  So incredibly good and the vibe was awesome.  I found the menu to be full of positive surprises and the dry rub bbq carrots were so unique and highly recommend them.  The bar was high going in and the delivered.  I would like to go back and try for lunch and brunch.  Chicago never disappoints on food.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/14/2012
    1 check-in

    I read somewhere that Chi Town isn't big on brunch..yet.  But, if The Publican is any indication of a change in this statement, it certainly looks promising.  

    Prior to visiting the Windy City, I had made reservations for several places for the span of a 3 day weekend visit.  WIth that, The Publican had the priviledge of being one of the target spots to visit, despite its unforeseen remote location from the rest of the world of Chicago.

    Nonetheless, it was well worth it.  With 2 of my traveling companions who tolerate my love for food, we ventured here.  At first, it reminded me of a bier hall from one of those like Hofbrau or even inside the tent at Oktoberfest in Munich, but looking much nicer.  

    The coffee was good and we split a side of ginormous hash.  Gotta have that hash I say.

    Then of course there was the family style sharing of these beauties:
    -Red wine poached eggs benedict - was interesting and good, but the taste of wine in the egg is very subtle, which perhaps is a good thing.
    -Side of maple syrup pork belly - how could you nOT?  Tis good..
    -Maple Glazed Pork Shoulder with a sunny side up egg, grits, and pickled veggies and kale - when i saw the side of maple syrup pork belly come out, I realized it was almost the same thing as this meat, but bacon - wise.  It was a definite must cause it was BOMB.

    If there are more places like this in Chicago, I'm sure brunch won't be a concern.

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/2/2013

    Came for brunch on a Saturday. Started off with a Winter Market Salad which included persimmon, beets, pomegranate, frisee, and the strangest tasting cheese call Sherpard's Hope Cheese. It was really good, minus the fishy, yet bland tasting cheese. I had the pork schnitzel blt which was very large and came with a mound of fries. The sandwich was on the dry side, and not very hot. My bf had the loco moco. The burger part was very flavorful, but wish it came with more pineapple rice.

    Prices are a little high. The atmosphere is fun, tables are communal. I prefer Publican Quality Meats over this place.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/20/2013

    I can't speak highly enough of this place. Ok, so maybe I've only been here once, but everything was pretty CLOSE to perfect. we went here for an early dinner before heading to a concert. I had been wanting to try this place for months. Made a reservation through OpenTable the night before and got a table reserved that would give us time to eat, relax, and enjoy some beverages before heading out. We misjudged how long CTA would take us to get there, and ended up nearly 30 minutes early for our reservation. The hostess offered to sit us right away anyway. As I said, we were there for an EARLY dinner, so when we arrived they had their slightly modified menu of appetizers available while we waited for the dinner menu to be distributed. We got the pork rinds, and cheese plate. Those pork rinds were insane. I could not stop eating them. Honestly, amazing. Cheese plate also incredible. A small selection of 3 kinds of cheese with some jams, bread, etc. it did not look like a lot of food, but once we got into it, we realized the amount of cheese etc went a long way. The dinner menu came out and We then proceeded to order several entrees. Everything is shared plates, as they explain when they drop the menus. From what I remember there were small, medium, and large portions to choose from. We started with grilled squid, brussel sprouts, and sardines. The grilled squid was the highlight of my night. Cooked perfectly. Amazing flavors. Sprouts were great as well. The sardines, while tasty, were my least favorite part. Just not what I imagined when i ordered them. We then went on to order MORE food. The pork belly and the broccoli casserole type thing. Both were out of this world. Pork belly and polenta dish went perfectly together. The broccoli was a wonderful suggestion by our server. We were on the fence about it but when he mentioned it was amazing, we took it as a sign that it needed to be ordered. There was so much more on the menu I wanted to try, but after all that food, I was in a near food coma. I can't forget to mention their stellar beer list from which we each ordered a few. Had a couple Belgian style beers, tried a very tasty and interesting sour. Beyond food and beer, I LOVE the ambiance of this restaurant. I'm obsessed with the lights in there (weird, I know). Communal everything, which I think is great. Our server was extremely nice and helpful. Although at some points I did feel a little bit rushed along. I know they get crazy busy in there and probably have a huge list of reservations that they need to accommodate. But I did at times feel like I needed to make decisions and order more quickly than I would have liked. Maybe it's just the service industry worker in me which makes me always feel a little like I'm holding servers up or being a pain. But At a place like that i like to sit and enjoy the amazing food, delicious beers, and unique atmosphere. So, that would be the only (extremely minute) complaint I had about my experience there. This place definitely lives up to the hype. Everything about it is A+. I absolutely cannot wait to go back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/25/2012

    Not that I need any help reverting to primal tendencies, but this is a really good place to get yourself into the spirit. I have lurked outside of here periodically but haven't gone in because I wasn't... prepared. You want to come to Publican on a night when you're primed for meat like you've never done meat. There is no other way. It took me  years to come to that night apparently.

    It's the Publican, so what do you really need to know? Get the cured meat. I could've eaten a whole ham spread alone. I have no idea what was in the rillettes, and I'm perfectly happy not to know. Shredded fat-cooked something (was it rabbit, maybe?) served chilled on toast. The fish and chips are better than I've had in Hawaii, which is the only place other than England that specializes in fish and chips (I'm sure England would put up a fight). The half chicken, my friend said, was the 'best fucking half chicken you can get'. It does put other rubbery chicken to shame. I think I ate a hunk of this leftover and it was delicious even with my questionable high-flame reheating methods. There was another pork item in here, and I can't remember what it was. I was drunk. The beer list is obviously impressive and requires some degree of blind ordering unless you are an expert.

    I suppose I never came here because I am allergic to the majority of the menu on the left side. That shouldn't have been a deterrent. But you know how it is.

    I have no memory of the service being attitudinal, but little offends me. Their bathroom sink situation is lovely. A+.

  • 3.0 star rating
    6/17/2014

    The atmosphere at this restaurant is really peculiar, sort of a high-end pub. I believe it'd be good for groups of friends, when you want beer, laughs and fun. I think the ambiance is the best thing about this place; it has a very particular vibe, with communal tables and loud chatting all around you. It is NOT a romantic place, but I did not expect it to be. All this being said, I went with my BF because he's a meat-lover and, boy, meat we had! It was good, but not outstanding. The blood sausage was a bit of a disappointment, the charcuterie plate was okay, the rabbit (our main) was quite good but probably not worth those 38$. Beer sampling was interesting, but I had better. I recommend the dark ale, though: reminiscent of well-roasted coffee and locally produced! Finally, desserts were simply not good: we had a unbelievably sweet pannacotta with honey (yes, with lots of honey!) and some waffles with an unfathomable salty cream that, well, was thick and sticky and salty and... bad. Next time, I'll skip dessert. Also, beware: plates are not as large as your server will make you believe, so plan accordingly if you want to be full after dinner!

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/30/2012
    1 check-in

    Meat, whiskey and beer. My favorite things. I brought my parents here while they were visiting, because the Publican is awesome...and I wanted a free meal. Let's be honest. We were 30 minutes late because of traffic, but I called ahead so they had our seats waiting for us. Awesome.

    We got the pork rinds, taste of three hams, grilled market greens, tomatoes, and lamb with curried yogurt/chickpeas. Obviously the menu changes often. But if they have the lamb when you're there...get it. It was super good and had a nice kick to it that's balanced by the yogurt sauce. The leftovers were still tasty the next day. The pork rinds were good and crunchy but left a mound (seriously) of cheese powder on my plate. Some were just lightly coated, while some were drowning in it. It got everywhere.

    Beeeeer. I liked taking my parents to places with good beer, because the selection differs from the east coast. Of course I had to drink whiskey, too. There are other places that have a larger selection, but the Publican's list is not overwhelming and still fucking awesome. They have George T. Stagg for $15. At 140something proof, this is not for the faint of heart, but it is unfiltered goodness. I would not suggest drinking it with an even slightly spicy dish (aka the lamb), because I made that painful mistake.

    Service was appropriately casual. The guy who cleared our table/gave us new plates was on top of his shit. Super fast and just like threw plates down on the table. Speaking of tables, the communal table was cool, but it also gives people an opportunity to talk to you. If that is something you don't like, well...pray you get a 2 top.

    The honey pepper ice cream was not light on the coarsely ground pepper.  I don't even like dessert that much, but I ate all of it.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/16/2013

    Probably the best brunch I have ever had!
    My friends and I came out to Chicago for the weekend and had heard good things about this place. After a quick stop at the MJ statue, we made our way to The Publican.  I had the Pork collar and eggs, a side of syrup braised bacon and a bloody mary. All were off the chart good! My buddy had the bone marrow and eggs, not sure how that was because before I could ask for a taste he had wiped it out.  Someone got the sourdough pancake with bacon wrapped chicken thighs, that was great too.  Def get a side of the braised bacon with whatever you choose.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/15/2013

    Great environment an food! Service was awesome and I'd definitely come back here! I just wish the music was louder and the A/C needs to be cranked up...it was pretty hot (august 2010)

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/27/2012

    A group of us (5) recently visited the Publican on a Friday or Saturday evening.  We had reservations and had shown up on time but were asked to wait to be seated.  Once sat (fairly awkward table arrangements next to other dinners), we shared many different entrees and appetizers.  Overall, the food was fairly good.  I believe one of us got sick off the oysters, not so fun for her though...

    Meanwhile, the waitstaff really knew their stuff (and beer!). I was impressed.  Unfortunately, they had to repeat themselves A LOT due to the volume inside the place.  The tables were wide and it seemed like we were screaming to each other at times.

    Overall, it was a nice place with OK food, just not somewhere I'd go to have any type of intimate conversation or to enjoy my company.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/10/2013

    For the first and only time ever, I'm going to suggest pork rinds...they were amazing. You really can't go wrong. We had an amazing waitress (Kristen), who comped an appetizer and brought us shots of a delicious honey whiskey. That, and she knows some pro wrestlers. This might be a drawback for some, but two of us (me included) are long time fans. Apparently, Hogan, AJ Styles and half the TNA roster are going to be there on Monday, so good luck getting in.

    Do: Make reservations.
    Do not: Expect to leave for less than $100 per person.

    Highly reccommended. We will return the next time we're in Chicago!

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/21/2012

    Awesome quirky restaurant. This is one of those places that can either be pretty inexpensive (if you limit yourself to a few things) or pretty pricey (if you want to try everything). We've tried most of what is on the menu and haven't been disappointed.

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/28/2011
    1 check-in

    I'm very glad our waiter...well he was kinda like a waiter for people who were waiting for a table...had made drink suggestions for us, it was very helpful since the list was quite extensive. We ended up getting the suggested cider that was on tap and some kind of beer. I really don't remember the name of it but I do remember it was good! It took about half an hour to get seated but the time went by fast since they sit, well actually rather stand, you at a bar-ish table so you can mingle. They have huge pictures of REALLY FAT pigs hanging throughout the restaurant and made for interesting conversation.

    We started with the pork rinds. It was sprinkled with powdered cheddar (or at least that's what I'm guessing), and some kind of vinegar. You could really smell the vinegar but the two made for some tasty pork rinds. Okay the main course...I think we totally failed here cuz we got the chicken. Honestly, why the hell did we decide to get chicken?! Who goes to a place like this and get the chicken? It was a lot of food but when it comes down to it, it was just chicken. Maybe if it was cooked with some kind of sauce it would have been good but it was oven roasted, or brick roasted? Either way, it tastes like just roasted chicken, nothing special. Learn from our mistake and don't get the chicken (unless you are picky and only like to eat chicken, then I guess you can't really do much about it).

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/15/2012

    Came here for coworkers going away party and my impressions are:

    Decor - Looks just like barn where the table we were seated at was enclosed off with wooden doors. It was funky, but in a good fun humor way. I liked it.

    Service - The service was spectacular. Even though they were really busy, our waitress did a really good job making sure our orders were quickly taken, water refilled and generally taken care of.

    Food - The food came a little slow but when it did come, it was delicious. I like how they served one plate at a time family style so my group of four can all try the dish and savoir one at a time. Although, the table couldn't fit but more than 2 anyhow.

    It's really loud here but if you don't mind that, definitely worth a check at least once. I'll be coming back with a group of 4 or less!

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/1/2011
    3 check-ins

    This is probably NOT the best date spot unless you want to share your meal with others sitting at Publican's communal tables. Date nights are a bit of a rarity in my life right now (thanks to my lil one), but I did enjoy Publican with 2 of my colleagues. It was an early Monday night dinner, but Publican was still packed.

    Publican is the type of place where you probably want to share a bunch of dishes, but that wasn't going to be easy for my group of 3 which consisted of a carnivore, vegetarian and pescatarian (me!). Instead we opted to get our own meals, although the carnivore and I did share some delish oysters to start. Oh, and we could all enjoy a bottle of pinot gris as well.

    As for my main entree I ordered the mussels. It was a huge portion that came with a very large chunk of french bread..and I made a pretty good dent in it. My dining companions loved their meals as well, although the vegetarian wasn't happy to discover bacon in her salad. To our waiter's credit he was very apologetic and got her a new salad ASAP.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/26/2013

    I've dined at the Publican more than 5 times and have NEVER been disappointed. The food, ambiance, service, are all fantastic. I've been here with friends, my boyfriend, my Mom, and everyone has enjoyed their experiences as well. They print new menus every day and change their dishes up, so even if you go twice in one week (as I did last week), you can find something new.

    If you go and do not order Oysters, you'll have made a big mistake.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/31/2011
    2 check-ins

    For dinner, this is the best restaurant in Chicago.

    This is a place for people who love meat. I believe that their specialty lies in making strange meats taste amazing (for example, their scrapple is mouthwatering, hearts are delectable, and the sweetbreads are to die for).

    I loved the oyster platter (3 from the east coast, 3 from the west coast).

    Since you could easily spend $100 per person and go wild, I will just give two tips for how to eat a great meal for a bargain price here:

    1. Go for brunch. You can eat brunch for $10-20, and you won't be sorry. Order the bacon plate ($7) for the table. It's very thick-cut and fatty in a way that melts in your mouth, and it's doused in maple syrup. I've had the chicken fried steak (4 stars), the hanger steak with grilled peaches (5 stars) and the red wine poached eggs with prosciutto (4 stars).

    2. At dinner, order the whole chicken. It comes with fries and could easily feed a small table. No one wants to order chicken at the Publican because there are so many more intriguing options, but if you do, it will be one of the best chickens you've ever tasted.

    Finally, the interior is beautiful. The restaurant is in the old meatpacking district and the decorations are pig-themed. At the bathroom (which has fantastic soaps), you wash your hands in a communal trough. If you sit on the main wall you will sit in a booth with swinging doors, like a pig stall. The wooden fixtures, big ball lights, and old-timey pig pictures will surely win over even the coldest, most meat-loathing of hearts.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/20/2012

    If you like meat and beer, you will like The Publican. If you enjoy exploring variety meats and sampling high-end beers (ranging from rare to novelty), you will LOVE The Publican.

    Chalk it up to luck if you must, but I have never had bad service here and, once the server figures out why I am there, (s)he is invariably effective in driving me to the delicious/curious meats and out-of-the-ordinary beers.

    First, the meats. Pig's head, duck hearts, 75-day aged beef, (remarkable) chicken liver pate. All done creatively and with a real respect for the ingredients. These are animal parts, after all, and it does seem to be a genuine respect. For example, the aged beef would have stood alone just fine. The addition of baby mackerel and grilled lemon added the umami (I know, don't hate) and acidity to complement the richness of the beef. And our server encouraged us to discover that combination. It worked. Also outstanding hams, traditional meat preparations (eg, porchetta) done well. And, by the way, they don't put anything on the menu that is "disgusting" so unless you are a vegetarian/vegan (not that there is anything wrong with that), cool it with the eeew looks. It is on the menu because it tastes good, not because the chef is showing off. Seriously, take a chance.

    Next, the beer. This is the only bar/resto where I have been excited when they tell me they are out of a beer because it usually means they have found something EVEN MORE awesome as a replacement...oh, yeah wine. And some whiskeys. But really, the beers. Local, Belgian, aged, flavored, dark, tart, light, fruity. You name it. And don't forget to buy a six-pack for the kitchen. Good karma.

    My suggestion is to avoid this place for brunch unless you are interested in meat and beer for brunch. To the point raised by a number of reviewers, the brunch service team (tired, disinterested, whatever) is not psyched to find a replacement bevvie for your iced tea and if you want an omelette, go to Egg Harbor.

    The dinner scene is busy and not quiet. I noticed recently that the music was turned down a bit, so the buzz was more crowd than techno-beat. Fine by me. And one last piece of advice, particularly for dinner, ask your server for advice. (s)he is probably happy to help you navigate what might seem like a daunting menu (both meat and beer).

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/12/2012

    I have only been here for brunch and both times, it was a solid experience, but not perfect. 3.5 stars for the food/menu would be more accurate, but for service and ambiance, I'll bump up to 4.

    The menu changed a lot between my visits, which were only a week apart, but the menu on my more recent visit was much better. There weren't a lot of breakfast/egg options my first time there (no waffles or pancakes, only one egg dish) but the second time, there were multiple egg options and waffles. Yay.

    Both meals I had were good -- I had a baked eggs dish the first visit, with Swiss chard, Parmesan and tessa, which is similar to prosciutto. Rich, but delicious. My friend got the chorizo flatbread and was disappointed by the almost non-existent chorizo. It was mostly bread.

    On the 2nd visit, I got the corn and Shishito pepper hash, with sausage. This was good, great flavors, but I was hoping for a lot more corn and peppers! It was pretty sparse in terms of the veggies. My friend's pork belly bimibop (sp?) with kimchi, on the other hand, was huge and out-of-this-world. Also tried the bacon -- which is thick cut and very fatty -- and a sticky bun, which was heavenly.

    It's a nice, airy, light-filled space and even when it's crowded, the acoustics are fine for conversation. On my second visit, we were seated close to the end of service (1:40pm) and we could tell the staff was itching to reset for dinner and/or leave. They were polite but obviously wanting to move us along quickly, clearing things pretty aggressively, dropping the check without us asking for it. But I've been a server, so I get it....just wish they had been a tad more subtle about it.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/16/2011
    3 check-ins

    After coming here, I have all the appreciation for organic, locally scored food. I came to Publican without reservations, not knowing what I will expect. But do make reservations; we made reservations one week ahead of schedule.

    Can I say this: I was blown off my feet by this restaurant. The decor had a casual yet romantic touch and I really enjoyed the common table arrangement as well as the private "pig pens".

    We got there early and grabbed some drinks first. They have a wide arrange of beers ($ - $$$$). One of the waiters accidently brought over the frites with organic eggs. They told us that its on the house for the mistake when we told them that we didn't order it. The eggs were amazing. I never tasted anything like how these tasted, how it was prepared, and the texture.

    We ordered the following:

    1. Chef's Selection of 1/2 dozen oysters - Kusshi, Penn Cove, Olympia, Misty Point, Lady Chatterley and Watch Hill. Our favorites were the: Kusshi, Lady Chatterley, and Watch Hill.

    2. Bouchot Mussels 1/2 order - THIS IS A MUST! I'm a fast eater usually but when I got to this plate, we just slowed down 10x and appreciated the taste of the mussels, the succulence of the sauce/soup. We ate and drank everything. If they made the sauce in the soup, I would drink this every day - it was so amazing.

    3. Charcuterie plate  1/2 order - One of my boyfriend's friend recommended this plate and I was actually a little disappointed by this plate. The meats are good but I would have done away with the pork pie and heady cheese. The sausage and mustard were the winners.

    4. Country rib 1/2 order- This was from Slagel Family Farm (the restaurant's inspiritation). The meat had a slight sweetness in itself that was extremely surprising - and it wasn't from the sauce itself. Just the tenderness, the juicyness, and the slight sweetness from the meat itself really showed how excellent it was.

    5. Marinated Artichoke - I would skip out on this dish and maybe order another vegetable dish.

    6. Dessert - Trifle - Let's just say I would lick the cup if I had an opportunity to.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/30/2012
    1 check-in

    Miami girl goes to Chicago with one thing in mind- FOOD TOUR. First stop for me was the highly recommend brunch from all my Chicago food gurus at The Publican and may I say, my trip got off to a delicious start!

    We started off the meal with the pork reins. Usually, I am not a fan, but these were perfectly seasoned (spicy) and the right amount of crunchy. I had the red wine poached egg, and as a self-declared poached egg connoisseur, I LOVED it. The red wine flavor was a great twist on the classic dish. I was able to try the pork belly bibibamp with fried eggs, brown rice, ginger, and kimichi and it was so tasty- I almost ordered a second meal!  I ordered the maple syrup bacon as a side and came to the conclusion- The Publican has definitely mastered how to cook a pig and this girl is a BIG fan.

    The restaurant has a unique design, dim lightening, and a great ambiance. We ate in a box, modeled after a pig pen, which was private. Otherwise, the restaurant is big on community dining with big tables to share with fellow patrons. The service was awesome! They helped us choose 'the perfect meal' and gave us great suggestions on how to enjoy the rest of the day in Chicago. Perfect start to a great trip!

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/5/2011
    Listed in Chi-Town

    Only ate here for brunch (yes they do brunch, but only on Sundays).  All the locals seem to love this place, so it was worth a try.

    Word of warning though the brunch menu is a bit different from the normal dinner menu and we couldn't order any dinner items.

    The interior and ambiance is really fun.  They've got these long communal tables for people to eat on.  Around the edges are booths that close up like pens.  A lot of the decor is wood so it has a warm feeling.  The walls have these paintings of giant pigs that have the Holstein cow pattern.  Their bar area has these standing tables with hooks underneath to hang your jacket on that I thought was nifty.  It sounded like they were playing the Foster the People cd in the background which I thought went pretty well with the whole vibe.

    The Bloody Mary here comes with your choice of a beer chaser!  I dunno if this is just a Chicago thing or what, but it's win!  The drinks themselves were nice and spicy with a decent vodka kick.

    The brunch items are under 20 bux, but they're usually more of a 1 person dish, but some of them are definitely shareable.  Warning here: the brunch menu I see listed online is not the same one we got when we came here.  The items did vary slightly.

    We shared a full mussel order.  It came with some piping hot bread.  Wonder crackle on that crust when you pop it open and then a poof of steam.  The mussels themselves were cooked in the more traditional butter/garlic style.  They were good and the bread was perfect for soppin up some of those mussel juices.

    We also got an order of the spicy pork rinds.  They were done so that they were super puffy and light and actually not oily at all.  I'm not so sure I was a fan of the spicy cheese powder that was sprinkled over them though.  I think I actually would have preferred them in the more traditional style.

    I got the Fulton Market Quad that actually consisted of different items than is listed on their online menu.  Mine had headcheese, the sunny side up egg, pork confit, and a pork sausage.  I was afraid the egg would be super runny, but it was close to an overeasy egg and that worked for me.  They give you a few slices of toasted bread that really help bind everything together otherwise it's overall a bit salty.  The individual bites were all good and pretty flavorful.  

    Others at the table got the pork belly kimchee bibimbap.  This is one of the items that doesn't show up on the online version of the menu.  It was a substantial dish and they said it had a decent kick.  It has brown rice instead of the usual white rice.

    The smoked sablefish was recommended also so one of us got that as well.  The fish was very smoky and soft.  It kinda falls apart in your mouth.

    They also listed a fried french toast that was sadly sold out.  I guess it's a popular one.

    Overall I enjoyed the brunch experience and would come back for dinner.  The dinner looks more for sharing and how can I complain about eating with more awesome people.  Yea...I can't

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/9/2011
    1 check-in

    I would give this place 4 stars for the food, but I have to take away one star automatically for the ambiance. Even though it's dimly lit, cozy, and has a unique feel to it because it's an upscale gastropub in the middle of a shady neighborhood (very random, if you ask me) with fancy service...the restaurant is CRAZY loud. I had such a difficult time hearing the handsome man I was sitting across (aka my boyfriend) because people were sooo boisterous!

    The food was definitely yummy, though. I heard a lot of pork places are on the rise out in Chicago, so this seemed to be a good choice. To start out with, we got the pomme frites! Excellent french fries - they were greasy and probably fried in animal fat, just how McDonalds used to make theirs! :) We got a fresh citrus salad with fruit flown in from California, which was extremely yummy! The asparagus with escargot was good, but the snails were a little too greasy and overly fried for my taste.

    For dinner, I got the sweetbreads for my entree - it's a very popular veal dish, which tasted just like super yummy chicken nuggets! My bf got their specialty, which is the suckling pig. I enjoyed the pulled pork pieces, as they were very crispy. The portion sizes here are decent, but they still leave a bit to be desired in my opinion. Then again, maybe I'm just used to grossly huge meal portions since I grew up in America. I really enjoyed the dessert! We shared a delicious chocolate bread pudding, which had a wonderfully crispy texture and just the right amount of cinnamon, along with melted chocolate. I loooved this!

    So again, the food was great and unique...but unfortunately, the place was just too loud. I also don't like the idea of communal tables, especially in uncomfy wooden benches. The environment made me feel like I was in a school back in the early 1900's or something! Kind of a strange experience. Next time I come to Chicago, I plan on hitting up The Purple Pig, which I hear is another cool pork place!

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/16/2013

    If you A) are ok with $60+ per person, B) love well-prepared, innovative meat dishes in serving sizes that don't leave you hungry, and C) don't need a quiet, private environment, make your reservation. This place is a bit past from the downtown buzz, and not likely to be found just walking around. It's in the stockyard district, and easily reached a short walk from a CTA stop.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/14/2013

    Yes to Publican.

    My husband loves it so much, he proposed me there. Then he hosted our rehearsal dinner there (technically, across the way at Publican Quality Meats). Probably among my top two dining experiences, ever, on two pretty high stakes days. Diamond ring AND Publican mussels?! A party in our honor AND nonstop charcuterie?!  

    Delectable food, hospitable staff, always order the mussels. And brussel sprouts.

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/25/2012
    1 check-in

    I saw the pork rinds on Best Thing I Ever Ate so was only too happy to oblige when a friend suggested we grab brunch here. The location of the restaurant is interesting, I would not have expected to find a restaurant in the warehousing district, but that's exactly where Publican is.

    We started with the pork rinds, which were nice and crunchy, but didn't quite meet my expectations. i got the ricotta and apple cake which was a little denser than I was expecting and also not as flavorful as I would have liked. My friend got the mussels, which were well-seasoned. i wish I had gotten that instead!

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/11/2013
    1 check-in

    Unique and delicious. Best brunch I have ever had!

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 3.0 star rating
    4/10/2011

    After living down the street for 4 years, I'm surprised it took me this long to come here.

    The rundown:
    Is there really good food?  YES
    Is there good service? SORT OF
    Do they refill water regularly? NO (hence, service)
    Are the portions large? NO
    Is this place cramped? NO (Avec is my "cramped" standard)
    Is this place worth the money? NO

    I thought the food was actually quite overpriced for tapas-style dining. We ordered the spicy pork rinds (not spicy at all, more like sprinkled with cheese, not impressed). We also had charcuterie plate, steak tartare, and pork belly which were all excellent (4-star range). There were two of us gals sharing, and after this amount of food, we felt content and not overstuffed.

    Total: $66.60 (for 3.5 small plates, may I remind you)

    I expect to be overstuffed for that price. I'm Asian, so sue me. Therefore, I won't be coming back anytime soon. Sure the food is good, but not that good.

    P.S. Publican doesn't accept Discover Card. What restaurant these days doesn't accept Discover Card? Lame.

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/25/2011
    4 check-ins

    Once again I think the hype is the Publican's greatest downfall.
    The spicy pork rinds were cut too big so it wasn't as crispy as should be. The food network let me down on this one.  I did not enjoy the egg w/ fries at all. The fries were bland and pretty boring.
    The crispy headcheese was my absolute favorite dish and I'm pretty (secretly) happy my friend had no idea that headcheese contained no cheese and then refused to eat any of it after I told her what it actually was! SCORE :)
    The ribs are NOT ribs...they're more like pork chops and were actually very good with the ramps from the headcheese plate.

    The beer selection was fantastic and I could drink gallons of the Hairy Eyeball. GALLONS.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/31/2012

    Went for Sunday brunch at 1:30pm and the place was hoppin'!

    The staff all around are so fun and wonderful!  Really made the experience.

    I started with a big cup of rich dark coffee followed by a rick house riot (excellent cocktail), then enjoyed the spicy tasty pork belly bibimbap.

    I took home the leftover kimchee and made fried rice, so double bang for my buck.  It was so well flavored it really stood up.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/30/2012

    I went to the Publican for the first time last week and I loved it!  The have Tito's vodka (my favorite) so they won points with me right away!  Let your waiter help you figure out what to order because the sizes of the dishes vary widely and, depending on how many people are in your party, you may need more or less of certain items.

    I found that the simpler dishes like the chicken (to die for), the pork belly (so good it almost made my cry), and the corn (who knew corn could be so good) were the best.  My husband got the chefs selection of oysters and said they were good but not the best he had ever had.  

    Waiter was super friendly and helpful. Dinner went long...3.5 hours but I don't know if that was because the waiters thought we wanted to sit and talk or if The Publican just offers a leisurely dining environment.  I would go there again in a minute! Loved.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/30/2012

    I've been meaning to go to the Publican for a while now but never seemed to get around to it, so I was super excited when my friends suggested it for brunch. We made reservations for 10 am on a Saturday and I thought it was the perfect time as I'm not a huge fan of communal tables and we were able to enjoy most of our meal without neighbors. By the time we finished, the place was getting pretty packed.

    We ordered a ton of food and all of it was so good! Let's see, there was a pretzel and some cake to share...fresh and delicious! My friend ordered the weisswurst which arrived at our table in a tureen of boiling water and was served with a pretzel - it was super tasty. I ordered the pork schnitzel b.l.t. with fries - it was huge and crispy and amazing. I ate until I was full and had plenty to bring home for later. My mouth is watering thinking of it. Another friend ordered the two eggs and two sausages served with cornbread - I only tried her cornbread (uh, yeah, I have to try a little of everything to be happy...I can't resist!) and it was very good.

    Service was pretty good with the only hiccup coming when we were asking the server about her favorites and other menu items. She told us that the burger was not served with meat...um, what?  I don't know why any of us didn't question it as we all thought it was very strange, but that bit of misinformation (the server just misspoke - the burger is served without a bun...makes more sense, right? We discovered her error when our neighbors ordered the dish.) steered my friend in a different food direction. She also had the schnitzel and I already told you how awesome that was, so I guess all's well that ends well.

    I can't wait to bring my husband here - I know he'll love it and there is so much more I want to try!

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/18/2011 Updated review

    Brunch it up, Peeps!  

    If your need for pork products trickles into brunch territory, you should most definitely be looking at The Publican for your brunching needs.  A menu heavy on the pork, seafood and generally fried products, it's a caloriefest that's sure to please your palette.

    The best bang for you buck will be the delightful Ham & Eggs served with polenta, fried egg & truffle chow chow.  It's seriously a pound of freaking ham.  Definitely enough to satiate the hungriest of bellies.

    Maybe you're feeling simple?  Try the frites with fried eggs.  Mmm... glorious.

    Yes, they take reservations for brunch and yes, you should make them.  This place is constantly bumping due to the extreme popularity of Paul Kahan... and his Michelin Bib Gourmand award probably doesn't hurt, either.

    Brunch win.

    4.0 star rating
    10/14/2009 Previous review
    "How long has Vinnie Chase been working the door?"  That was my first thought as an absolute dead… Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    4/28/2012
    1 check-in

    One of my favorite places in the world... total home run and very unique.   The place looks great, with long tables, cool lighting and stable seating.   The service was exceptional and food flew out the kitchen, even on a packed night.

    For maybe the first time, everything I ate I recommend:
    ... Port rinds, no greasy, super crunchy
    ... Artichoke burrata salad, fresh
    ... Octopus, excellent with lentils
    ... Ham plate, basic, nice meat selection
    ... Pork belly, the best
    ... Steak, simple and super juicy
    ... Radishes were fresh, but could have done without
    ... Chicken with sausage and fries, excellent - one of the best prepared chicken I have had

    Overall, the food is simple with very high quality, fresh ingredients.   The portion sizes were nice sized, some were even large and the the price was reasonable as well.  I'm coming back!

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/24/2013

    I recently visited on 1/21/13.First of all let me say that if Yelp gave half stars that The Publican would get 4 1/2 stars. I really enjoyed everything about this restaurant from the decor to the service to the food. Especially the FOOD!!

    First the service. The server was very attentive without being bothersome . She was very knowledgeable about the food and drink menu( she gets extra points for knowing what beer I ordered without having to look at the menu... Lol.). Her service was perfect, unfortunately I forgot her name....

    Next the drink menu. The drink menu was almost as impressive as the food. Let me say, that I've never been to an establishment that had EVERY beer that I love. This place did! Whoever made that beer list could be my best friend ,( cellared Trappist Roquefort 10, are you kidding me?!?). My date was also very satisfied with the wine list and her choice of wine, which was very good also.

     On to the food. I tend to judge any restaurant's food that has octopus on the menu almost solely by the how they perform with that one dish. The Publican's octopus dish was the best octopus I've ever had. I've had octopus in some very well established eateries and none of those could hold a candle to The Publican's octopus.

    We also ordered the Spanish style seafood stew, the frites w/ egg and the aged duck breast. All of those dishes were wonderful. If the Chef keeps preparing food like this, I see another Michelin star in Kahan's future.

    All in all, I think I'll be making a return trip to the Fulton Market area, The Publican has intrigued and impressed me, well done.

    P.S. Next time I'll bring another guest so we can sit in one of those cool booths with the doors.... LOL.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/7/2011
    4 check-ins

    I was impressed with the overall experience at the Publican. A great place for a dinner date or a group of friends. Family style seating, all the pork dishes you can think of and the wait staff that will guide you along the way.

    A great beer list which overwhelmed me at first but the selections can cater to anyone's palate.

    We sampled the aged hams. They were all fantastic including the la quercia rossa which was my favorite. A bit salty to share for two so I would recommend ordering if for a larger group. I was a bit disappointed they were out of the spicy pork rinds and blood sausage at the time.

    We ended up with the fried oysters which were gobbled up in minutes. The fried green tomatoes were a nice compliment and the sauce to go with them was fantastic. And we decided the aged ham and oysters were not enough so frites with the fried eggs were very savory. But the eggs were a bit over done so fries weren't able to take a bath in the yolks.

    A trip back is definitely in order to try a few more dishes that were not available at the time.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/28/2012

    bacon.

    We came here for brunch on a trip to Chicago and I've never had so much pork in one sitting.  The maple bacon is so rich and heavy to have at breakfast, but I could not stop myself from eating 2. The pork rinds was ridiculously cheesy, which I like, but for some it might be too much. I had the prosciutto breakfast and it was crispy and flavorful, the addition of the tomato cherries really did it for me because it made it less heavy with the fresh veggies.

    I would come back here and try dinner, but the brunch was still awesome.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/25/2013

    Being that I am a big craft beer fan and I had heard so many positive reviews about this place, I had been meaning to go to The Publican for about a year now and I finally got around to going.  I stopped in at around 2:00 on a Sunday and the place was pretty packed... but we had no problem getting a table to stand by and order drinks until the brunch crowd cleared out.

    My server brought over a beer menu and I asked a few questions... I knew that the servers had to had to pass a certain level of "Cicerone" certification, but they were even more knowledgeable than I expected... and not in a "snobby" way at all... they were generally excited to discuss the brewing techniques and answer all my questions.

    The bottle list was impressive... but when I saw that they had Cantillon Kriek on tap as well as many awesome local brews from Solemn Oath, Three Floyds, Half Acre, etc... I never even made it into ordering bottles (maybe next time) - but they have an extensive list as well as older beers from their cellar that will impress even the geekiest beer nerd.

    I have not yet had a full meal here, but I would give The Publican 5 stars based on their Charcuterie program alone.  I had a sampling of aged hams, sausages, and head cheeses that were all unbelievable.  

    I will definitely be back... this is a world class establishment for craft beer and meats.  No complaints at all.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/24/2013

    For years I had been hearing many good things about the Publican, and for whatever foolish reason, I had been ignorantly delaying a visit to this restaurant, thinking it can't be as good as everyone says it is. But finally, I gave in and made a reservation. After waiting two months after making our reservation, my wife and I, and a couple of friends, had dinner at the Publican a few weeks ago. It was worth the long wait, and all the great things everyone was saying were true! I love everything about this place; the beer hall style communal tables, the knowledgeable and friendly staff, the simple, yet delicious food, and of course the great beer selection. We started our meal by sharing the charcuterie plate, which is supplied by Publican Quality Meats, the butcher/restaurant located across the street. The charcuterie plate consists of genoa salami, pork pie, head cheese, harissa-date pate, morteau sausage, pickles and mustard. I didn't realize one could fit this may flavors on one pate! Next, I shared the whole farm chicken with frites with a friend, It was the most deliciously juicy, and flavorful chicken I have ever had. To top it off, we had our server, who was a certified cicerone, recommend beers that would pair well with our meal. The Publican is one of the best restaurants that I have ever been to; it had excellent, unpretentious food, great service, and a welcoming, friendly atmosphere.

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/19/2013
    1 check-in

    the ambience and decor is top notch, fancy looking but that's no reason to be so pricey, the food is good and ok, just like any other decent restaurant. but not great enough for the price.

    this rating reflects mainly on the food not on anything else about the restaurant.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/5/2014

    Lighting strikes twice. Stellar environment and flawlessly executed sharing plates are made all the more special by a competent and attentive serving staff.  Best dining experience in Chicago on two successive trips two year apart. Bravo.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/16/2011
    1 check-in
    Listed in Chicago: Must Eat!

    The Publican serves amazing food and has a unique dining room that creates a memorable experience.

    I came here later in the evening and I requested to sit at the communal table. This was my first time going to a restaurant with a communal table option so I wanted to see what it was like. Initially I thought it would be awkward and uncomfortable dining with strangers, but it was anything but that. It was great to people watch: others at the table, diners at in the stalls, and people hanging out at the bar tables.

    If you don't want the communal, you can eat at a table or eat at the bar but I think eating at the communal table is something to try at least once.

    As for the food, I ordered the Cobia Crudo to start. The cobia was sashimi-grade with avocado and grapefruit which was in a marinade that consisted of olive oil, a light vinegar, and diced shallots. Amazing! After I finished it, I ordered a second one. It was just that good.

    For dessert, I ordered the Waffle which came with honey butter and peach jam. Before the dessert came out, the server brought out a complimentary glass of homemade limoncello. The limoncello was the best I have ever had. As for the Waffle, it was the best waffle ever. It was crispy on the outside and soft and somewhat doughy on the inside. The butter and the peach jam just made it heavenly.

    Overall, my dining experience at the Publican was one that I wish could never end. I loved the ambiance and the meal was one of the best ever. I look forward to coming to the Publican again when I'm in town.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/17/2012
    1 check-in

    I ATE HERE!

    I don't think I've ever experienced a more tortured brunch. I had exactly thirty-six hours in Chicago, and while I didn't think I was going *wrong* with my chorizo flatbread and syrup-soaked side of (REAL) bacon, what I was really paying for turned out to be envy - that I didn't, couldn't and wouldn't be able to try the schnitzel and waffles, the soft-egg asparagus salad and the weisswurst that everyone ELSE in the giant barn of a dining room was ingesting with good Midwestern appetites.

    We'll meet again, The Publican.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/3/2011

    They didn't have pork belly on the night that I went :(

    Otherwise, everything was pretty good.  It wasn't too difficult to secure a reservation on a Thursday night, and the ambiance and feel of the restaurant was laid back, but still classy.  If you get seated in the middle area, you will no doubt overhear the conversations of people next to you, but they also have private booths for 2-4 people and also some more private tables.  Not sure how you get these - I suppose just ask when you make reservations.

    Food was good.  I enjoyed the pork rinds, the dover sole, and the country ribs.  The french fries with the egg was decent, but not as amazing as everyone says it is.  I found the food to be very affordable and a good amount to share if you come here with a couple of people.  Overall, I thought this is a place I'd come back to again... and hopefully they have pork belly this time.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/17/2013

    In town from Cedar Rapids, I'd made us a reservation. Great wines and good beers. The Country Ribs and crab with curry potatoes were wonderful. Half taste of serrano ham, porschetta, head cheese (I know, right?) were great. If you like raw and different, the steak heart tartare might be for you.

    Service was very good-- they seemed genuinely kind and interested in your experience being lovely.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/20/2011

    First time here. Was recommended by a friend. My friend claimed it was better than  girl and the goat! Verdict: Maybeeeeeeee. Haha. They have DELICIOUS publican beer. They melt sugar cane and mix it with Belgian beer that they get straight from the brewery. The oysters were the best I've had in the city thus far (including G&Gs). Mussels were great but nothing special. And the dessert is a must!! The waffle is so soft and doughie (in a 'the best waffle in your life' kind of way). Samurai chai, truly a unique tea, get it. Looking forward to going again. The servers are really nice so just ask them what they recommend. Definitely going back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/8/2011

    Everyone knows how great The Publican is.  Three times at dinner here and I have never been disappointed by the food or the beer...but let me make a recommendation - come here for brunch!

    Honestly I didn't even know that The Publican served brunch until my BF suggested it for Sunday.  

    Five notes:

    1.  Their Bloody Marys are pretty close to perfection (and it comes with a sidecar of beer!).  It has the perfect amount of kick to it and it's served with some slices of bread & butter pickle & pickled red onion.  I am of the "the more garnishes the better" school but in this case, KISS ("keep it simple, stupid") rules.  

    2.  Get the maple syrup-braised bacon.  Just do it.  It ain't your mom's bacon...it is essentially a thick slab of sweet tender pork belly.  Note to The Publican: can you please incorporate it into a fancy breakfast sandwich?  Kthx.

    3.  My Fulton Market Quad.  HOBOY...two sunny side up eggs, one special breakfast sausage, braised beef tongue, and a slice of delicious spreadable chorizo nduja.  And two perfectly toasted slices of bread.  And some bread & butter pickle slices & some more pickled red onion.  Sorry John G, but I am in loooooove.

    4.  John G's charred mortadella sandwich with fried egg, cole slaw, & BBQ baked beans.  It was so good that I only got one bite of it.  

    5.  End a perfect meal with their homemade jelly doughnut.  Sure, you might be bursting at the seams but it is completely worth it.

    Bold statement, but I think brunch at The Publican may even be better than their dinners...

  • 1.0 star rating
    5/31/2012

    Tonight was my first and last time at the Publican.  If you want to go for drinks, enjoy.  If you want to go for quality food, run to your nearest KFC and pick up a bucket of original recipe, it will taste better than 90% of the food at this establishment.  The spice of the day is salt, salt and more salt.  Every dish we were served clearly had generous amount of salt added to it.  We had to choke down our food and no one at our table was asking for seconds.

    The beers are great; the dining experience is pure bottom shelf.

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/4/2011
    2 check-ins

    The pork rinds were probably the best part of our meal.  They were so ridiculously crunchy, everytime i bit into one, my friend next to me would jump in surprise. Now that's crunchy.

    My second favorite were the chef's selection of oysters.  Fresh and tasty. But really, I applaud the oyster, not the restaurant for that.

    Several of the remaining dishes we shared were just WAY TOO SALTY. We got a citrus salad (salty), octopus w/ dandelion greens (nicely charred but completely overcooked, tiny portion, and way too salty), the country ribs (nice flavor, i liked the pea pods and peanuts), and the dover sole (SALTY!).  No pork belly on the menu tonight, in it's place suckling pig.  Very tempting, but we had to pass.

    I'll come back and give it another chance and see if it was just a fluke night, because I still enjoyed the flavors, just not the salt.  Perhaps for brunch.

    I'm not a fan of the communal seating either, but I AM a fan of being locked into a pig stall.  C'mon, it's just funny.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/28/2011

    Atmosphere and service were great.  Food was delicious, but the portions are ridiculously small, even for small plates.  That is the one drawback for me.  You need to order A LOT of food to get full.  The oysters were awesome and so was each item we ordered, but we actually left and went to Girdanno's for our second supper.  Great beer list, too.  
    Would love for the prices and volume to come down a bit, but I would come back for sure... Just not with a meat and potato crowd.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/23/2013

    Great spot, great portions, and fantastic beer.  I have been here 4 times now and love both the brunch and dinner.  The porchetta is the best thing on the menu and if you go for brunch be sure to get a side of bacon.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/23/2012

    Against all odds, I had a fantastic brunch experience at Publican this past Sunday. I say this because I gave Publican ample opportunity to completely crash and burn, and yet my party of four ended up having a pretty great time.

    For starters, I effectuated a pre-brunch merger at 10 a.m., mere moments prior to my friend and I's settled-on start time, and added two more people to our party who decided to get in the brunchy goodness after completing a 10k earlier that morning. Which brings us to Crash & Burn Moment Number 1: One of the runners didn't think she was dressed appropriately for Publican's upscale ways. Luckily, her track pants and grandma sweater fit right in with the restaurant's eclectic vibe.

    CBM#2: Industrious 10k-ers took much longer than expected to get to the meetup point, leaving one of our party stranded solo at Publican while we hustled to make it over. During his 25 minute layover, the seating time went from "no problem, we can seat you as soon as your party shows up" to "it'll be 40 minutes at least." Yeesh. Crisis was averted on two fronts: First, we were allowed to order a few small things off the menu to be delivered to one of the standing tables in the middle of the dining room, and second, we were seated in about 7 minutes. This led to some confusion in the delivery of our pre-ordered food but things generally worked out and only a hash brown was lost.

    The third (but not final) CBM came when the same stranded diner realized he needed to get a move on if he was going to make it to the airport to pick up his girlfriend on time. Our server, who appeared at first glance to be too ironic for her own good, came through with flying colors and got him his pork shoulder entree in no time, and he was out the door shortly thereafter.

    It helped that he just about died eating the pork shoulder. Oh, the moaning. He professed his undying love for Publican and all it's porky delights. The other dishes were also great. I loved the quiche and the hashbrowns were total perfection. The waffle was also a hit. I would seriously avoid the salad, though. The dressing was disgustingly heavy and just gross. This would have been CBM#4 but I was so happy with those hashbrowns that I barely noticed.

    Final CBM: Our check was a nightmare. Totally screwed up. The top half looked like what we order but the rest was way out of left field. Flying Colors Server earned her stripes again by fixing in about one second (once flagged down). With the check paid and our bellies full, we happily rolled out of Publican, singing its praises and eager to return.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/12/2011

    This place would be three stars on my list were it not for the amazing decor.

    When we walked in, I was totally taken away first by the bathroom (which has a communal sink -- very good idea imo), and then by the main dining room, which boxes the booths with wooden doors. My party and I felt very cozy and tucked in at our booth.

    Foodwise, we ordered the rillettes (pork shoulder-ish jam with toast), the ribs -- which were shaped more like pork chops than ribs, and the mackerel toast.

    None of the dishes wowed me, but my first bite of the ribs/pork chops were heavenly. Loved the seasoning crusted on top of the pork, though my successive bites didn't have that same flavor for some reason.

    The rillettes were interesting, though I thought it would be better with more of the blackberry jam -- pork on the toast alone was a bit too salty.

    Mackerel was kind of strange, with oxtail and pickled pears. A bit of a scattered dish with too much going on.

    Service was a little surly and distant. Not a fan of our waiter here.

    Dessert menu, unfortunately, did not appeal to us.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/12/2012
    1 check-in

    YUM!

    I went here for dinner. It was such a great experience. There were three of us, and I'm not a big fan of 'communal-type seating,' but I thought it was very appropriate for this place. We were close enough to other people to look over and marvel at their menu choices, but there was no violating of personal space. I was also pleasantly surprised at how organized the seating team was. There were no empty seats. Props for that.

    We started off with a plate of oysters. You can't go wrong with oysters (or can you?). It was okay.

    We got the chicken liver pate. At first, I thought, 'Ugh!' But I tried it and my life changed forever. I would go back just to eat this dish. The jelly on top created the perfect balance of sweetness and richness.

    We had the pork belly next, which was so good! But I'll have to admit that while eating the pork belly, I was still thinking about the pate.

    We also got ramps, without really knowing what they were. I still don't really know what they are. A vegetable resembling a leek. It wasn't really good for me. I'll pass next time.

    Service was good, but there were times when we had to look around for our server. I found myself saying, "Where's the next dish" a lot. But it was busy...

    Bottom line: I would definitely visit again! To get the pate of course.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/27/2012

    I have been hearing so much about the Publican but I wasn't feeling as compelled to eat here as I have other places.  It turns out I have been missing out.  

    We went here for brunch, and if dinner is as good as brunch I will be back. The restaurant itself is barn-chic (I know it's not a word but I'm not sure how else to describe it ) with abstract paintings of pigs.  I loved it.   Our server was quirky but very friendly and knowledgeable.  

    Started off with a bloody which was fantastic.  A bit on the too-spicy side but still was exactly what the dr ordered.  I had the spaetzel and waffles, I read from other reviews that it's only available one day a week?!  Why Publican, why?!  It was a spectacular dish!  The plate is very large but the waffles are so light that I was able to finish the whole damn plate.... If it was socially acceptable to pick up my plate and lick it, I would have.  We had the infamous bacon (pork belly) which to me was overrated, and I love bacon.  It was really undercooked for my liking and  I would probably skip that the next time around.   (On a side note, gangstarr, mos def, etc were all playing during our meal, which made it all the more enjoyable)

    I do not remember what my husband ordered because I was so deeply in love with my spaetzel and waffles.  I think it was a Mediterranean flat bread and he raved about it.  

    I will definitely be back!

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/25/2014
    1 check-in

    Could not have been better.  The well conceived offerings on the menu are unique and delicious.  The service is top-notch, and the smokey Mary is not to be missed.  Outstanding experience all around!

  • 1.0 star rating
    10/19/2013

    It is an over rated disappointment. Been only twice and both times: waited 45 minutes past our reservation time and our orders were messed-up. This restaurant depends exclusively on its "hipness" and not on its service or food. The menu is tasty but there are much much better places in Chicago. I will not be back. Two strikes. I'm not going to bother getting the third strike. I'm out. Don't bother. Go else where.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/5/2013

    What a fabulous treat.  The meal was outstanding!  We had the chef's selection of oysters a nice mix of west and east coast, pears with blue cheese, mussels served with a warm baguette and the pork belly and tenderloin.  All were delicious and fabulous flavors.  We completed our meal with the apple fritter and Carmel ice cream and pomegranate a perfect balance.  It was all delicious!  Highly recommend

  • 2.0 star rating
    6/2/2012

    I was very excited to try brunch at the Publican. I had read several great reviews and took my husband and my mom there on a Saturday. Let me start with, the food was really good! My husband and I had the pork schnitzel and waffle and my mom had the scrambled egg focaccia. The waffle was unbelievably light, the schnitzel was very tasty and salty. I'm normally not a fan of salty food but salt worked with the pork. My mom's entree didn't look very big but turned out to be a lot of food.

    The Mimosas and Bloody Marys were ok, not bad but I've had better. Our waitress seemed like she didn't care about anything and wasn't overly pleasant. My biggest dislike was the price. For two mimosas, one bloody mary, two coffees, three entrees and a side of hash browns, we spent $92! I totally get city prices but $100 for breakfast is a tad too much.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/19/2013

    The Publican was the perfect way to end the night! The steak was tender and flavorful, my wife's chicken was cooked to perfection.  The entire experience was a great one, service, was great and the overall atmosphere was wonderful.  We'll be back again.

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/4/2011

    Honestly, I wasn't impressed by Publican. If I could, I would probably give it two and a half stars, as I found the whole experience rather underwhelming.

    The atmosphere: a bit drab, actually. Publican seemed to be channeling the communal restaurants of New York, but lacked any real style or warmth. It didn't help that nearly every patron was dressed in a business suit, making the restaurant seem duller.

    The food: just okay, really. The chef's selection of oysters were exactly what you'd find at half the other restaurants in town, and the farm chicken tasted as though it sat in the brine for far too long. Certainly nothing I ate was worth the price I paid. Not surprisingly, Publican jumped on the pork trend all the restaurants are following now, so there was plenty of serrano and pork rinds on the menu. Honestly, this little piggy would rather go to The Purple Pig, where the quality is simply better.

    The service: when beer is a staple on your menu, I expect you to know a thing or two about beer. So if I'm looking for a bitter beer, you better have an idea or two. I also shouldn't have to flag you down if I want some pepper...or better yet, the check. Especially when I'm one of 30 people in the restaurant on a weeknight.

    The verdict: I don't get the hype. If you want great communal dining, there's better around the corner on Randolph Street.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/26/2012

    Had a great brunch over the marathon weekend. Loved the bloody mary and the beer!

    Spicy pork rinds were nice, but over-hyped.

    We had a tartine and torta ahogada.Tartine w

    Unfortunately we had a server who looked like he did not want to be there. She didn't listen to our order. The bus boy was nice enough to grabbed the rinds that she forgot or did not hear. When I asked her something about one of the mains ... ???? Hello??? Are you there??? Would you like me to repeat my question???? She totally dismissed it and asked me if that's what I wanted. She was horrible. Everyone else that did serve us for water, clearing the table, they were very pleasant to deal with.

    Great vibe. My friend loved the private booths.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/19/2012

    Been here two or three times and it's delicious.

    Highly recommend:

    -The bloody mary
    -Dual Quads-- 2 types of sausges and eggs. So delicious and 2 delicious sauces to go w the meat and corn bread.
    - Person I was with ordered the porchetta and totally loved it.

    Overall, great food, fun atmosphere:)

    I'll definitely be back soon!

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/13/2012

    The plan was to try to walk in to Girl and the Goat and have this as a backup. Turns out GATG was closed on labor day, so we had no choice but to go here. Was FAR from disappointed.

    Great atmosphere, cool lighting, family style seating but also some funky private booths with their own doors. Here's what we ate:

    Blood Sausage: RICH, but not too rich like blood sausage can be. Great way to kick things off.
    Grilled Octopus: one of my favorite dishes ever. Served on a pancake. Yea, a pancake. Unreal.
    Corn side: Sweet, and covered with delicious white cotija-ish cheese. SO good, but I'm a sucker for corn.
    Roast chicken and summer sausage: One of their signature dishes. It was delicious for sure, but not mind-blowing. Best part was the fries soaked in the 'jus'. Lots of food for your dollar, but I'd try something more unique next time.
    Beer: amazing selection. We settled on a sour belgian 700ml that looked like a champagne bottle. Even had 'Cuvee' in the name. So good.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/15/2012

    YES! PORK!
    But seriously, America. Is there any meat more tasty and versatile than the pig? There isn't.
    Came here for the first time with a couple friends and we ordered a few dishes to share: country ribs, ham platter and the pork shoulder. All were absolutely delicious. We got this side dish though, squash with cabbage and pancetta in this apple cider sauce - one of those things that I lay awake thinking about ever since, wondering if I'm a skilled enough cook to replicate it. (I am not).
    I will admit, because we were sharing, I wasn't realizing how much meat I was actually eating. My body punished me for a couple days afterward but we're cool now.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/31/2010 Updated review

    Pork party!!!!!!

    Seriously. I walked out of the Publican on Friday night ready to put the hold on my pork intake for a while--I just had so much of it that night!

    We split a little gem salad (thanks to Colleen C's glowing review) and the apple salad. Both wonderfully scrumptious and the perfect vegetable/fruit starters to the very meat based meal to come. Split some frites, fried in pork fat so they're deliciously rich and, well, meaty!

    Drinks--they got an excellent beer list. Had Founder's with the meal. Good choice!

    Entree--split the pork belly topped with greens, a wonderful sweet sauce (maybe creme fraiche based? I forgot. But it was obscenely good), and pomegranate seeds. Also the country ribs which were perfectly charred and fatty. I gained a few pounds from that dish for sure. Served with a spicy assortment of rainbow cauliflower.

    Dessert-- I know the belgian waffle is the go to but we were craving chocolate and decided to split the chocolate tarte. Topped with an unsweetened whipped cream and praline pecans. Perfection.

    There's a reason that my uncle is constantly asking me if I've "been back to the Publican lately?"--it is just so good!

    4.0 star rating
    8/23/2010 Previous review
    I follow the Publican on twitter and every time they post something I weep because I'm not there to… Read more
  • 2.0 star rating
    10/13/2013

    If one thing bothers me more than going to a fine dining place than anything else is Bland food. I came here for a the "must go" reviews and following this place has. Disappointment is the only thing I got from it. I rarely complain about the waiters in any of my reviews but this time was just unbelievably bad customer service. My fiancé felt almost as if the waitress was avoiding us purposely. We couldn't even order more drinks in a reasonable timeframe. At least our water cups were never even close to half empty. This being her 5th time here and worst experience and my first & last. Bland food and bad service goodbye.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 4.0 star rating
    12/10/2012

    Does my review amongst 1600+ matter? Nope. But please, do read on!

    Go. If you like meat particularly of the swine variety, its excellent.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/28/2011

    Worth coming back:  trio of ham plate, frites with two eggs, suckling pig, long communal tables, friendly service, beer, affordable and great 250mL wine pour ($10 - $16), the booth seating

    Not worth a revisit:  sweetbread, bread pudding, sitting at the corner of the communal tables with various waiters walking right into your chair all night

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/8/2013

    Simply great food, great atmosphere, great service.
    We arrived at 9pm on a Monday night (with reservations) and found Publican busy, but not packed.  Our party of four was seated quickly and our wonderful waitress explained the communal style serving and went to great lengths to make us comfortable with the menu and keep us on track to enjoy the best food in Chicago.
    Be preparred for small, expensive portions, but the taste and flavor combinations make it well worth the price....you won't be disappointed.

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/26/2012
    Listed in Tappa Tappa Kegga

    After surviving a bout of brutal midterms, I decided to dig myself further into debt and treat myself to a swanky dinner and craft beer (lots of craft beer) with a good friend from my NYU heyday.

    Although I had made reservations, we were subjected to waiting about 20 minutes because the party before us wouldn't get their act together.  Considering my friend and I personify the stereotypical "perpetually in a hurry New Yorker," this was not the best way to start the evening.

    But it was a great excuse to peruse and gain some first-hand experience sampling various beers from The Publican's extensive menu while we waited at the bar.  It was also a good opportunity to take in the ambiance; the long, wooden, communal tables reminded me of an indoor biergarden.  Even at 9pm, the dining room was buzzing and lively, with a much more casual air than many of the other restaurants in the West Loop.

    Our patience paid off; shortly after we were seated, our waitress treated us to an appetizer of hamachi.  This smooth, buttery starter had me thinking it would be an excellent idea to order seafood as my main course as well.  

    Because I was craving something that was not very dense, I ordered the octopus.  I expected a very simple preparation because octopus is a type of seafood that needs very little to enhance the mild flavors.  My "Spanish parents" would have been aghast if they witnessed the Publican's preparation of the octopus.  There was just way too much happening: puntarelle (which I do love), salami, and various spices.

    Although the octopus was a "miss," I do intend to return and try some of the pork-derived products that have received great acclaim.  And drink more beer, of course.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/15/2011

    Visited Chicago this past weekend and my friend who lives in Evanston recommended The Publican. All I have to say is "Thank you, Ma'am. May I have another?"

    [distracted by other people's comments/posts to the right of this text box]

    Just read a few other reviews about the ambiance and it never occurred to me that I was meant to feel like a pig (the main ingredient on the menu) but....mission accomplished (in a good way)! Ever seen the Miyazaki's "Spirited Away"? My friends and I probably looked like the parents when the food came out. Everything was delicious and one just couldn't help but to move from plate to plate...shoveling its contents into our already stuffed faces, repeatedly. [Ha! Yes, quite the sight! Sexy. ;-) Nothing a perfectly mixed bloody mary with Tito's vodka couldn't fix.]

    This was the perfect place to go after a late night out and about the town. My friends did the ordering, so I don't remember everything but the following:

    bloody mary with in-house pickled garnish plus glass of beer (I appreciate the interesting combo as well as the extra garnish they brought me -- can't go wrong with Tito's vodka)
    red wine poached eggs on toast with proscuitto and bitter greens salad (solid brunch fare)
    side of bacon (WOW! Wow....! )
    side of hashbrowns (I wanted to order a second one because it doesn't go very far when split five ways, but even still...so glad I ordered it. Fried to perfection. Didn't even need ketchup, it was that good.)
    intelligentista decaf coffee (prefer the soy latte at their shop, but that's me...not a coffee drinker)

    I'm sure there was more but all of the above was delish!!!

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/14/2012
    1 check-in

    I have been here twice and enjoyed both experiences.

    This is a loud restaurant where you may end up bumping elbows with someone you don't know.  This is not the place for an overly romantic dinner.  That said, it is a fun atmosphere and the waitstaff is good.  It is expensive, but worth it for the quality of the food you are eating.

    The menu here changes, but both times I've been we ordered the chicken dish and it was the overall fave.  Strange at a place known for pork, but that was the standout for us.  Last time we also got the country rib dish, which was fantastic- very meaty and flavorful.  We also had a hamachi appetizer that was very refreshing.  The ham dish was a disappointment as I seemed to keep getting mouthfuls of fat while others at the table raved about it and said it was great (I guess I chose the wrong portion).

    The beer selection here is awesome.  I recommend being careful with the higher octane selections- I never seem to heed that advice myself and end up paying for it the next day.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/6/2012
    1 check-in

    Super cute!

    Love the homie concept and open decor. I wish i had written this review 2 months earlier but man I am still thinking about the mussels. Give it a go! it's definitely worth your time and moola.

    Oooohhhh i miss chicaggoooooo :(

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/11/2011

    A while back, I read an article in Bon-Appetit magazine about the how the sous-chef cures his own meats and was excited to give it a try. It was a bit difficult to find, tucked away in a trendy industrial neighborhood. It almost felt like the meat packing district in NY.

    The restaurant decor is simple, and the atmosphere is relaxed. Everything on the menu is full fat, butter, beer, wine, but well proportioned and balanced. The charcuterie (among other dishes) was flavorful, rich, and totally worth it!

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/24/2012

    I went here with my friend Bianca who is a publicist for Sony and my friend Natalie to visit my Swedish friend Jonas who was in grad school at the University of Chicago. Bianca found this restaurant for us in GQ - yes we're obsessed - and it was on point.

    The decor is wonderful - kinda like a backyard picnic and the waiters are all dressed in gingham.  So cute!  The booths are awesome too - they enclose you so you feel like you are in a private boat haha!  We ordered some oysters and a bunch of other stuff - everything was delectable.  We got the duck and aged ham.  Ugh soo good!

    If you are ever in Chi-town please do yourself a favor and come here!

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/26/2012

    Many friends have raved about this place, and now that I'm in Chicago for business I got a chance to visit. Budget a $7 cab ride from the loop for a fantastic dining experience.

    The place won awards for best restaurant design, but the whole place is really laid out to resemble a barn or farmhouse. The decor fits that as well as the uniforms of the waitresses, busboys and waiters.

    Because this is the Chicago foodie hangout it is hipster central. This is the type of place where you expect to see Ira Glass carried in on a throne where the onlookers throw him their panties and bra. But it's not all hipsters. I wound up sitting next to some bikers who had some really awesome ink.

    The beer list is an insane mix of many different types of great beers. I went with the house Lambic mix.

    Then there is the food. This place is renowned for its pork and seafood, so of course, I ordered the half chicken. Which came with sausage. And frites. I was really in the mood for the frites, but the entire meal was excellent.

    And they have dessert, too. I went with their chocolate cream pie which is topped with hazelnuts, carmel, and some kind of vanilla creme that isn't ice cream. And now I'm stuffed. And thankful I visited.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/14/2010
    1 check-in

    Synonyms and helpful hints for The Publican -

    - Best Brunch EVER
    - Best Bacon EVER (you cannot leave without a plate..... so glad our fab waitress didn't let us forget our order....)
    - Best decor/concept I have seen in a long time (eating at communal tables, or in pig "pens," and Publican dish towels for napkins)
    - Great coffee and a Bloody Mary with pick your Belgian side car
    - Perfectly poached eggs (in red wine)
    - Pork cheek sandwich (need I say more....)
    - Reservations are a must
    - Every morning I have have a hangover.... or just want a piece of pork heaven.... I dream of The Publican......

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/19/2011

    I will grant that it is a slightly odd place to have a one's celebratory Birthday dinner-- it's loud, the seating is mostly at giant communal tables, and the food sure ain't haute cuisine.  But Publican is one of the hotter restaurants to open since I last lived in Chicago and I can see why.  It was worth the trip.

    The specialties are beer, shellfish, and pork.  We tried some of each food group (actually regular fish instead of shellfish) and enjoyed them all.  The ham sampler really is a revelation.  Serrano ham has the mouthfeel and richness of sliced parmesan cheese.  The more pungent hams are savory and fascinating and probably like nothing you've ever had before.

    The other dishes I had were also very good.  The house-made pickles are tastier, more plentiful, and more interesting than most places.  The turnips were nice, although slightly too sweet.  The pork belly with cucumbers and harissa yogurt was just as good as I thought it would be.  It's not the kind of place that puts Chicago on the culinary cutting edge, but it's really good eating.

    I was also impressed by the service.  Our waiter had the patter and outfit of a carnival barker, and at first I was prepared to really dislike him. He also rattled through the beers too quickly, and too readily guided my wife to a tasteless witbeer.  But then he recovered.  On his next round by the table, he asked about how we liked what we had, and when he learned that he'd made a bum recommendation for my wife's beer, he came back with small tasting glasses of three very different beers, helped her taste them and figure out which ones she liked and why.  He then comped the mis-recommended beer, brought her a new one more to her liking, and came by throughout the evening with other tastes and suggestions to go with our meal.  

    This is what should happen at EVERY good restaurant, but it is the first time I have EVER been to one where it actually did.  Four-star food, five-star service.

  • 2.0 star rating
    9/18/2013

    Too loud, too crowded, food average. My friend had the 3 hams, they were good, but it really isn't created and prepared by the restaurant, they just slice it and serve it. The beet salad was OK, but I have had better, and the lamb was just average, nothing to write home about.

  • 3.0 star rating
    6/9/2011

    Ehhh.......I've had better, and from The Publican circa last year no less.

    My second trip to The Publican came a little over a year after my first and came in a little less enjoyable than the first. I don't know if it was the loud crowd, the fact that they were out of the two items we wanted or just my less enthused self. Either way, I would say that this time around I was just so-so on my experience.

    So naturally when I think of pork heaven, I think of The Publican. What better place in Chicago is their for juicy pork anyway? So on this trip, in order to have the full pork experience, my BF and I decided on eating suckling pig and pork rinds(after all our motto is go big or go home!) Either way, apparently the crowd that night all the same thought, because when we sat down we were informed that neither was available. We ended up going ahead and ordering the ham sampler (too salty) and the fried oysters (which were great, but not the pig product we were looking for).

    Either way I definitely feel that I need to go back to The Publican and have a do over. Since I have heard they have great meal and beer pairing nights, I am especially going to make an effort to make it then.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/15/2013
    1 check-in

    Don't really like bacon - but I would eat it here anytime!  Also really enjoyed the brisket and indiana hash was amazingly light and tasty.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/26/2011
    1 check-in

    Swanky interior totally pulled me into this restaurant!!

    Those big light bulbs! Big communal table! Even the RESTROOM is weird in its good way.. be sure to check it out!

    The chairs were so big and so were the utensils. Heavy, ginormous utensils. Kind of an oxymoron considering how small the portion is...

    Opted for a few dishes for dinner but two recommendations for this place. Pork ribs and corn. Out of all things? Yes. The ribs were INCREDIBLE. I will repeat..the portion was ridiculous. When the server came out with our plate, I thought he brought over a dish that someone already went through. -__- The corn was also nothing short of amazing.

    The whole idea of a giant communal table is cool in theory but there are cons as always. It was simply WAY TOO LOUD. I guess it'd be a great place to eavesdrop on someone if you wanted to. -__-

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/6/2011
    1 check-in

    I was so excited to try The Publican as a stop on my let's eat in Chicago tour that I've been taking. This night turned out to be even more special as my boyfriend became my fiance only shortly before we came to dinner. Magical evening indeed.

    This was a perfect place to celebrate our new engagement. It was probably even more perfect since my mom called to tell them what had happened and had champagne waiting for us AND she was somehow able to score us a private table which was amazing. (I'm not going to lie, I was bummed to walk in and see the communal tables. Any other night this would have been cool but we had just gotten engaged and I wanted to enjoy the boys company!!) However we scored a private table and were able to wine and dine and enjoy one another.

    I loved the feel of the restaurant, the service (from the hostesses to the server to the others helping out) was spectacular. Yes it's noisy but it adds to the excitement and I personally didn't mind the noise.

    We started with oysters and I was so happy that we got a little card telling us what each one was. (Not that I remember which was my favorite now!) They were all wonderful and the vinaigrette that comes with was awesome and I don't typically put anything but a touch of lemon on my oysters.

    The hamachi crudo was amazing, I love the crunch of the pistachios that accompanied the dish.

    The pickles. Oh the pickles. Seriously some of the very best I've ever eaten. I could have eaten an entire plate on my own. I decided to share the wealth with the boy however :)

    Boudin blanc was delicious. The mustard was spicy and wonderful and went so well with the sausage and the apples. At this point I had to slow down a bit so that there would be room for the rest of the meal!

    The sirloin was outstanding. I can't remember much about it besides the melt in your mouth meat and the sauce...oh and the cauliflower. I don't like cauliflower. It was one of those unfortunate things that I got sick after eating it many years ago (unrelated) and I just don't eat it. Tonight though, tonight the cauliflower reminded me that it's delicious and I should go back to enjoying it. Seriously people it was that good. I remember that over the meat.

    The final course was the pork belly and that was the way to end the meal. Best pork belly I've ever eaten. In fact I thought the boy was going to pass out from happiness. We sure didn't need dessert after this amazing piece of pork belly!

    I will fondly remember this dinner for ever, it was truly amazing and it happened to be on a night I won't forget! I highly recommend heading to The Publican!

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/25/2013
    1 check-in

    Mehhh.... espesh for all the hype it has gotten.  Maybe I was just not in the mood for great cold cuts (which it is known for) that day.  I had the hama hama oysters, very good.  They have good beers.  Service was good.  The menu was not too extensive.  It's not a good dinner place, more of a place I would have a drink and apps at, because they have a good oyster menu and charcuterie menu.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/22/2013
    3 check-ins

    The porchetta  and ham chops is a must try! besides that I thought everything else we ordered was okay.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/13/2012

    A great restaurant is sometimes made by how well they deal with their mistakes.

    We ordered and 40 minutes later we still didn't have our appetizer.  I asked what went wrong (my best guess is that our waitress forgot to put in our order) and although she did not offer an answer, she immediately corrected the problem by paying for our appetizer.  The whole staff was extremely helpful after that.  

    The food was excellent.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/21/2013

    We visited The Publican for Brunch on Saturday and had a great meal.

    When we arrived we were told there would a be 20-25 minute wait. We didn't mind, seeing as we had just tried Little Goat Diner who had an almost 2 hour wait... Plus, we were told that we could enjoy drinks at their standing tables while waiting to be seated. We ordered a couple of bloody mary's and a few oysters to start. We were then happy to be seated at a table in under 10 minutes! The service was top notch; very friendly and easily transitioned our appetizers and drinks to the table.

    What we ordered:
    --Traditional Bloody Mary--
    What's not to like about a bloody that's constructed with homemade celery bitters and topped with pickled vegetable garnish? It was even served with a Zombie Dust beer sidecar. This was an excellent bloody mary, that had the perfect amount of kick.  

    --Oysters: Sea Cow, Raspberry Point, Marin Miyagi--
    Served with a deliciously tart vinaigrette sauce, these oysters were incredible. Our rule of thumb: any month that has an 'R' in it's spelling is the best time to enjoy these wonderful tastes of the ocean.

    --Publican Winter Salad--
    This was a delicious, light salad made with frisse, beets, persimmon, cashel blue cheese, pomegranate and pepita seeds. It is perfect for someone in the mood for a light brunch, but could also be ordered as a shared starter to other dishes on the menu. This is a salad we will remember... and maybe even try to recreate! Loved.

    --Shrimp & 'Nduja Stew--
    A delicious spiced broth served with ricecake noodles, chinese broccoli, whole shrimp, and a perfectly-cooked slow cooked egg. Definitely not the right dish to order on a first date, as it can get quite messy. That being said, it is worth it, as the dish is packed with tons of flavor.

    In addition to Brunch, we strongly recommend visiting The Publican for dinner out! On previous visits, we have sat at the large communal table, which is a great way to see what other people are enjoying. We love the small plate menu offerings. Although, can be tough for a vegetarian at times.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/21/2012

    Don't be scared vegetarians!

    I went here this past weekend was amazed with the food and the neat decor.  We were in town for a mini vacation and my husband had heard great things about this place.  Being a vegetarian, I took at the menu and cringed.  But I agreed to go because my husband wanted to try it.  

    First off...try the Strawberries salad... it is now one of my favorite salads in the whole world  It was simply amazing.  Once I told the waiter I was a vegetarian, he said "the chef can prepare you a veggie platter!  No problem!"  It was delicious and had a wide variety of veggies and salad.  It was REALLY good.

    All my other (meat eater) friends and husband LOVED their meals as well  :)  

    Women:  If you are creeped out by the bathroom situation, go to the Women's stall all the way to the right.  You will understand once you get there.  I thought it was a cool concept though!

    ENJOY!  Highly recommend.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/4/2014

    Best wine poached eggs benny EVER.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/27/2012
    2 check-ins

    Came down early on a Saturday afternoon.
    Down side of that is the "afternoon menu" is all that is available. Limited choices.
    Beer + oysters + cheeses + a few pork products is all that afternoon has to offer.
    That being said...here is how the afternoon went.

    **Orval-My go to Belgian Trappists Ale.
    **Six (6) of the Peter's Points oysters from Blue Hill Maine. These were very tasty. Loved them. $15 for the six.
    **Spicy pork rinds from Becker Lane Organic Farm in Dyersville Iowa (yes the same town that has the Field of Dreams baseball filed). Looked like big Cheetos. Light & airy and delicious. Served up in a tall glass with a paper cone. Could have used a bit more spice for me.
    **St. Feuillen Triple-a Belgian ale on tap. 8.5% at $7 a small glass.
    A good follow up to Orval.

    I do want to note that all of the beer servers here have achieved the first level of the Cicerone program-basically a beer sommelier certification program. They should know their stuff. Mine did.

    **Prairie Rose Cow Cheese. Paired with a fresh/toasted bread and sour cherry preserves. at $7. Good combo that I took my time with.
    **A Belgian Malheur 10 from a Buggenhout Belgium. Brouwerij (Brewery) De Landtsheer N.V. (which is the Dutch equivalent of Inc.). 10.0% at $12. A golden ale medium bodied with an orange zesty taste wand a hint of sourness.

    Also of note are the "uniforms" of the servers. I saw blue check and red check for some of the ladies. Some of the guys (back of house?) had a utilitarian look...blue shirt with first name patch.

    I sat at the bar....and my beer-tender was very accommodating and nice. he sported the requisite big dark Elvis Costello glasses.
    I like what he said to me as I prepared to leave:  'Glad that you came in".

    I am too.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/19/2012

    Came here for brunch and had an amazing meal. If you werent sure of the relationship between the restaurant and the meat deli next door, just look at the menu...

    If you have a vegetarian friend, I probably would not suggest bringing them here...unless it is a cruel joke. We sat in a booth... a booth that was designed to look like a pig pen. they close the doors on you after you get in which gives some privacy (and a little claustrophobia) but appears to go with the theme of the place. The theme being country chic with an emphasis on pigs... but in a good way. At least the food was simple and delicious

    Literally everything we ordered had pig in it. The bacon was really good. Extra thick cut pork belly with a maple glaze. worthy of a plate lick. Also had the spicy pork rinds which were very crisp and tasty (not that spicy though).

    The chorizo flatbread had piles of chorizo on it and a sunny side up egg on top. Very well prepared and perfect for brunch.

    They also had a schnitzel and waffles which was their take on chicken and waffles but with pork. It was very good schnitzel and the compote and syrup it was served with paired nicely with the dish.

    Service was great. Coffee was good. They kept up on refills and were attentive. We left full and happy. We made a reservation for saturday brunch. Seemed a little busy as we were leaving so I would recommend you do the same.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/14/2013

    I've eaten here many times, and everything I've had has been out-of-this-world, knock-your-socks-off fantastic. Their oysters are the best I've had in Chicago--better than anyplace claiming to be a seafood or oyster joint. And, of course, the pork is heavenly. This is absolutely, hands-down, my favorite restaurant in Chicago.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/15/2011

    We were seated for brunch around 2pm on a Sunday.  We started with fabulous mimosa's and were very excited about trying out the Publican, after hearing so much about it.

    There's a million other reviews, so I'll keep this brief...

    The brunch menu is relatively small... so you can imagine our horror when everything we wanted to order was GONE! The first, second and third things we wanted to order. Gone.  So disappointing because they sounded amazing.

    The two of us split the waffle with rhubarb compote (light, sweet and awesome) and the frites (salty, but tasty!). I had the gem salad, which was overdressed but pretty substantial in size. My friend had poached eggs which she loved.

    I'll go back, but the moral of the story is to go early for brunch. Anything after 1:15 is probably a bad idea if you want to have the full range of the menu.

  • 2.0 star rating
    10/12/2013
    1 check-in

    I had such high expectations.  The portions were way too small and we left hungry. We wanted to have their special pork belly but they were out. The egg and fries was interesting but all fries were burned. We ordered Charcuterie. The environment was stark and felt cold.  Don't go here if you want to have a romantic date. Make sure you dine before you come and bring a lot of dough.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/3/2013
    Listed in Chicago

    Use to love this place for brunch when I was still eating eggs, cheese and deserts. Somehow more difficult being mostly vegan now. However if you are not on such diet, this is a spot to go. Great eggs Benedict on Sundays, and I loved their chicken.... Great salads too...

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/6/2012 Updated review

    Since my first review I have probably dined here a dozen times. Each time is spectacular and moutherwateringlydelicious.

    If you must pick a meal period to dine at The Publican, brunch is the way to go. The red wine poached eggs are probably one of the best brunch options in the city. This place is fun for groups and great for folks who enjoy sharing food with one another...you are going to want to after seeing the other dishes.

    Other dinner musts include: Cioppino fish stew and the fried walleye.

    4.0 star rating
    8/13/2009 Previous review
    Oh Paul Kahan, how your oysters turn me on.  You looked a bit frazzled last time I was was there,… Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    7/11/2012

    How this place only has 4 stars is beyond me, those folks must not have had the pork belly.

    I enjoyed the Oyster Sampler, Chicken Liver Pate, Pork Crepinette, Smoked Arctic Char, Pork Belly, Bouchot Mussels, and a Carmel Peanut Butter Pie. All I really have to say is everything was delicious and you would be doing yourself a disservice if you did not visit The Publican.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/26/2014

    Chef Paul Kahan has really put his mark on the Chicago food scene. It all started with the acclaimed Blackbird. Now he has a handful of extremely successful restaurants: Avec (wine bar),  Big Star (taco and tequila bar), and Publican (beer driven). The newest is Publican which specializes in quality meats. Publican is now the butcher shop that supplies all of the other restaurants and is making world class charcuterie. I was recently in Chicago and I knew that there was one place I HAD to go to and that was Publican. Like most serious restauranteurs these days Kahan is focused on keeping things small using local farms with ingredients as organic as possible. From the bread to the beer list EVERYTHING was fantastic. I loved the actual room and I still can't get over the fantastic pig paintings on the walls. Some of the most notable dishes included: the mussels with homemade bread, the charcuterie plate, and the grilled duck hearts from Au Bon Canard farms in Caledonia, Minnesota. I may add they were amazing and so was just about everything else I ate. The service was also impeccable. I really wish this place was in Minnesota. I recommend it to anyone who is going to Chicago.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/23/2012

    My favorite things about the Publican were the pork rinds and the house beer, which resembled a Flemish Sour Ale. Both were amazing! After eating dinner there, my husband and I came back a few weeks later for happy hour and stood at one of the pub height tables and order both those items again.

    We also got some charcuterie which was good but does not stand out in my mind as being one of the best charcuterie platters I've had, and we also tried a salad with pig ears which really hit the spot.

    I have to say though, I am not a fan of the community seating. I know it seems to be on trend these days, but who really wants to sit so close to a stranger when you are having a nice meal?

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/23/2010
    1 check-in
    Listed in I Heart Chi-Town!

    My cousin said there was a "must-go" restaurant that she absolutely needed to take me to while visiting her in Chicago.  Knowing that my boyfriend and I were big fans of Avec since the last time we went to Chicago in 2007, she definitely wanted me to try another Paul Kahan restaurant.

    And what perfect timing we had.  The Cooking Channel's show called "Unique Eats" had a gastropub-themed episode the day before we had dinner reservations to the Publican, and it showcased the Publican's Paul Kahan and his love for oysters and pork..  It was indeed a delightful and mouth-watering episode and it made me even more excited to try the Publican!

    The restaurant takes on a German beer-hall kind of theme, with the side tables for parties of 4 that have swinging doors that enclose you and your fellow peeps in like little piggies, which is spectacularly fun!  

    Here's what we ordered:
    - Chef's Selection of 12 oysters: a mix of west coast and east coast oysters...divine!
    - Spicy Pork Rinds: surprisingly NOT greasy and tasty!
    - Bouchot Mussels: buttery, garlicky goodness served with a huge baguette to dip into the sauce..yum.
    - Taste of Three Hams: a plate of prosciutto heaven to me.
    - Suckling Pig: so flavorful and moist and the perfectly crispy skin was such a guilty pleasure!
    - Waffle dessert with berries and the Raspberry chocolate dessert: great way to end a meal!

    We also got a variety of beers that were waaay to hard to pronounce.  Every beer that our friendly lady server recommended was great--everyone in our party agreed that we loved our beers that we ordered.  I do remember that I got a German beer named Ayinger.  Really smooth and tasted great with all the meats.

    Such a treat to come to the Publican!  I'll definitely be back to visit when I'm back in town.  One cool note:  their bathroom has a circular-shaped sink that's totally trough-like...loved it.  Also, even cooler: they have the cool Dyson Airblade hand dryers.  I totally want one of those things in my bathroom.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/20/2011

    Went at 6pm on a Tuesday.  It was pretty sparse when we arrived, but bustling within 30 minutes.

    The menu (both food and beer) is extensive.  Our waiter was very helpful, and the service was pretty good, not at all intrusive.

    Here are my faves, in order of deliciousness:

    THE BEST!
    -ASPARAGUS - SOOOO GOOD!  I had no idea I could be absolutely in love with asparagus, but I was.  It sounds weird, with escargot , bread crumbs and hazelnuts, but it's excellent.  TRY IT!
    -pork belly - a big slab of candied pig love.  It's served with grits and snap peas and is just delicious.
    -waffle - Golden Nugget, this is not.  This waffle was light, but rich, smothered in rich butter and tart cherries.  It went together beautifully, but was ultimately too rich and filling to finish :(

    The Good
    -mussels - I LOVE mussels.  We ordered the half order to split between two people, and it was enormous.  They were good, but I feel like I've had better.  Not knocking them, but I prefer a beer based broth.
    -daily pickles - I didn't realize I liked pickles so much.  The brine had almost a cinnamon or nutmeg flavor.  It was pretty darn good.

    Meh
    -spiced pork rinds - they garnered mixed reviews on yelp, so I tried them.  They were ok, I almost forgot I had eaten them.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/31/2011
    15 check-ins
    Listed in Restaurants

    First of all you have to love a place with giant paintings of pigs on the wall! The concept here is to pair beer or wine with pork or seafood. The only seafood I've had were the oysters and they're very good. Everything pork I've done: the taste of three hams, the belly, the charcuterie, the pork rinds...all excellent. I've also had the half chicken, and country ribs...both were very nice. I choose to pair with beer here and the staff is very knowledgeable.

    Last night I attended the Michigan Beer Dinner. A collaboration with New Holland Brewery. It featured a five course dinner focused on ingredients from the Michigan harvest, and paired with six beers from New Holland. It was an amazing experience. I can best describe the flavor pairings between the beer and each course as evil genius. The highlights for me were the mole flavored beer, the flank steak with peppers, and that tomato jam with the cheese.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/25/2012

    I had been hearing about the quality meats served at The Publican for a few months now so I was extremely excited to stop by while I was in Chicago for a day.

    The atmosphere is top notch. Everything from the lighting to the checkered shirts that the staff wears creates a feeling of refined dinning with a laid back and friendly attitude. The guy who took care of us (Barry, I believe) while we sat at the bar was very helpful and knew exactly when we needed help and gave us plenty of space when we didn't.

    The food lived up to all expectations I had coming in. Particularly the Rillette. It was served with pears on top as well as toasted bread on the side. Perfect combination of textures and salty and sweet.

    Overall it was just a really great experience and I'm very much looking forward to returning as often as I can.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/22/2011

    I'm still in awe after having dinner here last night. Seriously, my jaw was just dropped repeatedly during the night. Dish after dish after dish came out and all were just absolutely awesome

    Our group of 8 focused mostly on the seafood side of the menu. We were doing a wine tasting here, though this didn't stop us from also having some beer. We started off with three plates of oysters. I lost count of what the exact oysters were as I was just more happy to go nuts on them.

    We also got two plates of ahi tuna as well as some fried skate. Both were great dishes in their own ways and the tuna had a lot of different flavors.

    After that we had to dig into the meats and we got a steak tartare, cured ham dish, farmhouse chicken and a sweet breads plate. The steak tartare was extremely good and the ham dish was very good as well, but the chicken was into a completely different level. It was the star of the night. We also went with a round of desserts. All of them were very good, but the waffle was too good for words to really describe.

    Most of all, the service was great the entire evening. Seriously, this was some of the best service that I've ever experienced and I have to let it be known. While it wasn't cheap, I'm already figuring out when to visit next

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/21/2013

    Incredible brunch experience... everything was delectable. The "pork and beans" had a Spanish feel and wonderful flavors.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/17/2012

    I had my reservations about going to The Publican because I'm never in the mood for fish but after many years walking by the restaurant I simply couldn't resist the amazing lighting and style of this place.

    I enjoyed the restaurant with my husband and my dad, who is from out of town, and at first glance of the menu I wasn't sure we picked the right place. There is A LOT of pork on the menu which we don't eat so I was afraid we might have to leave but as soon as our waiter Christopher came to the rescue he quickly pointed out his recommendations and made sure no pork was in anything we ate. He was so kind and accommodating to our needs and never made us feel like it was trouble.

    Now to the best part - the food! Every course we had was amazing. I love that this is family style seating and portions because it makes the atmosphere and experience really special. Everyone is in there having a great time. We started with the muscles which were SSOOOO good. I'm always afraid to order muscles but they did not disappoint. We followed the muscles with the a salad that was delightful. For our main course we shared the rib eye and the best chicken I have ever eaten.

    **Side note, under the tables is a fleece material to protect your knees from bumping the table...those clever bastards!

    I'm definitely going back there again.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

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  • Start your review of The Publican.

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  • 5.0 star rating
    4/27/2012

    I was so stoked about writing this review because I just do not know where to start.  In the world of great food--anywhere--this Chicago West Loop spot hits it out of the park with utter perfection and fun.

    The design of the restaurant--a country/barn like setting with mostly shared tables in a loud and festive environment-set in the hipster part of Chicago, sets the stage for an unforgettable dinner centered mostly on pork and seafood.

    Start with some oysters.  They are flown in from everywhere.  Vancouver--Washington State-Mass--Va.   Fresh has been risen to a new standard in the mid west.  

    The cured meats are an absolute delight. Serrano-Rosas-country ham just to wet the appetite are some of the best I've experienced in flavor and presentation.

    The spicy pork rinds are an absolute must--and a cross between decadent and totally addictive.  But honestly --this is just the beginning.

    The main dishes are abounding but a few stand outs that deserve special mention. The suckling pig was just that.  Succulent and dancing with spice and sweetness.  The rabbit papperdelle is hearty and robust but not at all gamey. The sweetbreads are made delightful by the garnish of tatsoi, almonds, chili and lemon. And the farm chicken with summer sausage and frites defies what a great roast chicken should be.

    Oh--on sides don't miss the daily pickles--cauliflower with nicoise olives, Fresno chile and breadcrumbs -- the grilled spring onions --or the broccoli rabe with spring onions, pecorino and Parmesan.  All well thought out and excellent flavor pairings that make an ordinary vegetable alive with imaginative and smart flavor.

    One can only imagine what dessert is like given how wonderful everything else is (and it is!).  But explore that on your own.  Some sweet options round out this a la Scott fav.

    Oh and oysters aside--everything is farm fresh mostly from Wisconsin and Illinois.

    So few do what this hot spot has done. It's made a fun-hip and happening spot one of the hottest restaurants in Chicago and arguably one of the best in the country.  Best part is--after it's hip phase --a la Scott believes it will still be one of the most sought after reservations in town for a long time to come.

    All around this one gains a very rare a la Scott five starts!!!!!

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/25/2012

    Oh Publican, what can I say about you?
    I love you?
    Yes.  Yes I do.

    I've only been here once but would go back in a heartbeat!  

    I'm definitely open to trying new things, and this is for sure a place to do that.  We started off at a bar table waiting for a real table and munched on some pork rhinds and wine.  I remember I picked the wine solely based on the fact that it was in a box, but to my surprise it was pretty damn delicious.  Get the box wine!

    We had asked if we could have a table to ourselves (they have loooooong community tables).  They said it might take a little longer but they'd try.  It actually didn't take long at all and we were soon sitting in our own little booth with doors that closed us in.  How cute!

    Their service was great, they were very helpful with item menus too.  I'm really picky on food based on textures.  Weird, I know.  But I still entertained the idea of the fried veal brains.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/1/2013

    Only been for brunch, but it's consistently great.  Bloody marys are always tasty.

    Favorite dish I've had in the half dozen or so times I've been has to be the Schnitzel sandwich.  Friggin delicious.

    Only issue, between coffee, water, bloody mary and accompanying shot of beer... the table can get a bit crowded :P

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/13/2012

    Must have a reservation, and with good reason. Brunch = delicious.

    Neat farmhouse atmosphere with closed-in "boxes" instead of traditional booths. Open tables are picnic-table type seating where you are on the same bench with strangers, so that's awesome and fun or weird depending on who you are.

    Went in a group of 4 and we all got something different to try this place out.

    The Publican Mimosa (orange juice+beer) was not appetizing to me, but the waiter said it's hit or miss so it's worth mentioning.  You MUST ORDER THE PUBLICAN BACON. I am not the biggest fan of bacon. It was spectacular. It comes in these rectangular cubes that look nothing like bacon, and taste like heaven. Just try them.

    Our meals were each equally as varietal and spectacular as they come. Hashbrowns also get a shout-out.

    I'm happy I don't live closer or I would be here all the time (and therefore, broke).

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/18/2012

    Yum squared.  A short cab ride from downtown proved worthwhile on a cold Sunday morning.  I really wanted to impress my husband with my brunch choice and my mission was accomplished and then some.  I ordered the kale and brown rice bowl with garlic sausage and my husband the pork schnitzel and of course a side of bacon.  Our conversation was limited after the food arrived as we relished in one bite after another, only producing oohs and ahhhs while looking around at the dished others were digging into.  Coffee was spot on as well as the bloody mary with a side-car of beer.  Communal tables give a sense of community and energy.
    Fantastic.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/17/2012

    Went here for my birthday and it was perfect!

    The Pork Rhines were decent, not sure why everyone goes crazy about them in the yelp reviews, they are essentially a cheeto with a lot less cheese and way more puff... I probably won't get them again.

    The pork belly was amazing! It was very tender and melted in my mouth! I almost licked the plate clean.. The old style ribs were also amazing! You didn't need to get your hands dirty, they were plenty easy to eat with a fork and knife, it's not like your typical ribs. This was all meat and one bone.. This was our favorite dish!

    The atmosphere is pretty cool, community seating at a big table with a bunch of random people can be a bit weird, but it's loud enough where you don't overhear everything they say.

    Also at the end of our meal they brought out an amazing cupcake for my birthday! It was one of the best free desserts I've ever had at a restaurant.

    I'll definitely go back to try some more of their dishes, they had a lot of choices.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/31/2010
    Listed in Chicago on my Mind

    Stopping at The Public for Sunday brunch proved to be the perfect way to leave Chicago. While clearly the place is known for dinner, coming on a warm afternoon, sitting outside amidst all the meat packing buildings, well that's another experience that I can whole-hoggedly recommend.

    And that's what you should be thinking about here: the meat, and namely the pig (all certified organic and sourced from Dyersville, Iowa, no less!). I actually ended up with the rather excellent fried French Toast, but it was the accompanying sausage that I savored the most. One of my friends ordered the pastrami short ribs, which were about as amazing as something fall-off-the-bone can get. But whatever you do, order a side of bacon; this isn't your thin strip variety but a sizzling chunk of tenderness that melts in your mouth.

    And what's brunch without a good Bloody Mary? Our table actually went all exotic and tried their Saharan version, a mix of Tito's Vodka and Moroccan spices, accompanied with your choice of beer chaser. A strange idea, but nonetheless perfect.  That's all, folks.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/9/2010 Updated review
    1 check-in

    I CAN GET FAT HERE AGAIN

    After Yelping about an unsavory encounter at The Publican several months ago, I promptly received an unexpected yet welcome call from Kimberly, the GM, who sincerely apologized for the incident and offered to make things right. And make things right, she did.

    My friend and I were well taken care of and experienced all the things that makes this place so great: farm fresh food, incredible beers, and expert service. We were seated in one of the pens and paired with Justin, an excellent server who made some great beer recommendations, among them the Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale.

    We stared with the charcuterie plate with a delightful assortment of cured meats, the star being the duck terrine. Next up was the suckling pig (good, but not eye-rollingly good) and the farm chicken which was just as wonderful as it was the first time I had it. Finally, we ended the meal on a soaring high note with the incredibly refreshing blueberry granita. Imagine cool indigo flakes of ice, rich cream, and fresh blueberries. It was the perfect recommendation (thanks Justin) for a balmy summer night.

    Thank you, Publican! All is forgiven.

    5.0 star rating
    2/24/2010 Previous review
    DELICIOUSNESS DEATH MATCH: PIG vs. CHICKEN

    Ask a person on the street what the most delicious animal…
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  • 4.0 star rating
    4/16/2012

    Is it just me, or have pork-centric restaurants become Chicago's new(ish) big thing? Purple Pig... The Publican... The Bristol... all have a similar vibe and all are delish. My hubby and I tried The Publican this past weekend and I think this one takes the cake.

    First off: ambience. Yes, it is truly loud in there. Not a place to take your hard-of-hearing parents, unless they don't care about conversing and just want to enjoy some good food. But the vibe is fun, young, and fits the casual atmosphere and attitude of the restaurant, so I think it's acceptable. We were glad to be seated at one of the 'private' 2-tops by the windows so the noise level was totally manageable, but the communal seating probably got a lot louder as it's closer to the center of the room's "waiting for your table while you drink really good beer and wine" area.

    But more importantly: THE FOOD. We had:
    - Spicy pork rinds (which normally I would never eat, but my husband wanted them, and then I ended up scarfing a few too, they're just that good)
    - Potted rillettes (pulled-pork texture, deliciously-spiced, with sour cherries, spreadable on crusty bread)
    - Scallops (omg, perfectly cooked with a wonderful sauce and accompaniments)
    - Morel mushrooms (strangely I think I have cooked fresh morels better at home, but I did love the accompanying pea puree and sauce)
    - Pork belly (perfectly accompanied with pea shoots and a bit of spicy chorizo)
    -  Rhubarb crumble dessert (biiiig chunks of rhubarb, just the way I like it - but wish it were topped with a bit of ice cream instead of just whipped cream)

    We really enjoyed our meal although I wish they had spaced it out a little more - it seemed like as soon as we finished (or even before we finished) one dish, they had brought out another, so we were out of there pretty quickly. It felt a little rushed to me. But not enough to deter me from visiting again, especially with a group so we can try more from the menu!

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/2/2012

    Another trip to Chicago, another mind blowing meal. This place is cool and funky and I totally understand how they won a James Beard award for Graphics, although I think they also deserved the award for design. You feel like you're in a mead hall and Sir Gawain or Beowulf will pop in at any moment and be confused about how pretty and well-decorated it is.

    Six of us shared a delicious spread with great suggestions from our server. The highlights for me would be the half-chicken--sublime, the oysters--best I have ever had, duck hearts--so amazing, I don't even have the right words for them, the potted rillete--again, so mindbogglingly delicious I don't know where to find the words. It tasted like the best BBQ ever, but that description does it no justice and the asparagus-- best I have ever had. No questions asked. Just get it, no matter what.

    They did an amazing job staggering the dishes so we weren't overwhelmed by several dishes at one time. Service was helpful, attentive and fun. The beer list was endless and impressive and the desserts sounded good, although we were too full to partake.

    I would suggest coming here if you are an adventurous eater. Some of the better dishes aren't run of the mill restaurant offerings, which is why it's such a fun place.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/18/2011

    I have a new favorite in town and it's called The Publican.  Really had a great experience here and can't wait to go back and try the dozens of beers, wines, and dishes that I couldn't cram in the first time.  To start, I had the Hell's Bells Intelligencia Dark Beer.  Really good, robust beer that hit the spot right of the bat.  And while I wasn't looking to pair my food with my beer, believe it or not, the oysters that i had with it worked so well.  They have a great selection of oysters from all over...west coast, eastcoast, and Canada.  Really fresh and earthy that just make you want to have more.  Then we followed it up by ordering the frites that came with a nice creamy sauce.  I had heard of their pickles so i was anxious to try them right after.  Really crisp sweet and tangy pickles that also have onions and other pickled veggies.  I'm not exactly a pickle fan but this was really good.

    One of my biggest surprise was the the fried lake smelt's.  really fresh sardine like fish that had been lightly battered and fried to perfection.  They also came with a tangy red cream sauce that was oh so delicious.  Made me think of trying this at home for my next meal.  Seemed so good and delicate yet so easy and obvious at the same time.  Then (yes...we did try several dishes) we had the citrus salad that was a mixture of frisee greens, dates, farro, and hazelnuts over a ball of beautiful fresh mozzarella type cheese (execuse me if i don't remember this one but it's so delicate and creamy and so good...i better go back and ask).  

    Ok.  So here's comes the good part.  The entree(s).  We ordered two since there was 3 of us and we knew it would be a lot of food but wanted to try a few different things.  The first was the farm chicken.  Locally sourced from a Fairbury, IL that came with summer sausage and more frites.  Wow...really good.  It was done so perfect that it must of just come up to the right temperature on it's way to our table. Grilled very well and had some char parts in the right places.  Then we ordered the suckling pig (figured i had too since there were supposedly known for their pork).  Another home run here that came with what seemed like two large pork chops with greens and a smudge of fresh pesto.  Really nice and grilled to perfection i thought.

    Finally we went for dessert (as if we hadn't had enough).  We went for the 32oz fresh press with cruz that la sur coffee.  Very good choice we thought.  We drank it with some sort of chocolate tart and an single portion apple pie...which honestly i can't remember too much of since i was ready to fly at this point.  Couldn't eat or drink any further.

    Needless to say, this place deserves 5 starts and can't wait to go back.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/6/2012
    1 check-in

    When I first heard about The Publican, I couldn't help but think (like any other contextually-clued individual) that it was some sort of local newspaper. The first thing that came to mind: the priceless Disney classic "Newsies" featuring a young Christian Bale singing about some hardship and stuff. The reason that is the FIRST thing that comes to mind is really beyond me. Maybe I just associate that movie with every newspaper now. You got me.

    After much deliberation on dates (and finding out what exactly The Publican actually was), I decided it was high time I try it out. My dad and I showed up pretty early on in the dinner rush thinking, rather naively I might add, that we would grab a drink somewhere close before heading over. After our options exhausted rather quickly, we decided to jump the gun on our reservation so when we arrived, the place was relatively empty.  This just gave me more room to take in the wonderful atmosphere.

    The whole feeling of the place is awesome. It sort of plays out like a barn that you and your family might have used to gather for a weekly meal.  Of course it has a full bar and is completely renovated to seat more people than I thought could honestly fit in, but it always felt very homely.

    The food really was delicious. We ordered up some of the country ham, country ribs and brown sugared sweet potatoes (which, to note, were OFF THE FIGURATIVE CHAIN.) Of course we tossed a few beers back from the fine selection of bottled and draft brews while we waited, just for good measure. But that's basically a given, right?

    The only thing that was slightly odd was they have a policy to bring your food out as it is ready. Which is fine and sort of a fun thing to do I guess, but there was no warning as to how long certain courses took to prepare or how many other orders were before you, so the length of time in between courses was weird.  We had ham about 20 minutes in, then ribs 40 minutes later, then sweet potatoes 10 minutes after that.  I know I shouldn't be concerned with the order and small intervals at which my food comes out, but I couldn't wrap my head around the process.

    All in all, I would definitely go back to this newspaper-named restaurant. It is more of a special occasion place (like date place or "want to impress your friend from out of town" type of place), but it was fun and quite enjoyable all the same. And I think Christian Bale would really like it.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/20/2013

    Great place. Dishes are generally small like Tapas. Best to get a lot of dishes and share them to get a sample of the menu. Really cool things on the menu. It's a must try if you're in the neighborhood.

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/9/2011
    1 check-in

    Have to say, after hearing all the hype, we were a tad disappointed by our visit to The Publican.  We chose this for our monthly Girl's Night dinner, as we always try to pick someplace new.  The much anticipated food....meh.  Nothing was bad, but nothing was amazingly good either.  (We had the half chicken, and the farm cut ribs.)

    On the plus side, we thought things were quite reasonably priced...to the point that we WAY over-ordered.  And the washroom....very cool.  Worth a trip when you're there.  And, quite a fabulous beer menu.

    But, all in all, next time we're in the mood for communal dining and shared plates...we will be going somewhere else.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/26/2010 Updated review

    I'm still loving the Publican. I made a last minute reservation for dinner, and ended up having to push it back twice... they were super accommodating!

    I was a little disappointed that they took the beets off the menu! We had the Little Gem Salad. I have to say that deep fried pig ears are delicious. It was pretty fantastic.

    We then had the shrimp and the dover sole. Both were perfection.  I don't know why I don't come here more often.

    That's all.

    5.0 star rating
    3/18/2009 Previous review
    I have a serious crush on Chef Paul Kahan, and I love that his restaurants are in my hood.

    The…
    Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    3/25/2012

    After dining at Blackbird this week, I was anxious to try another of Paul Kahan's restaurants. The new brunch menu at the Publican had just launched, so my bf and I arrived around 12:30 on Sunday to try it out. We ended up having to wait over an hour and started to get antsy.

    Having glanced at the menu earlier online, I knew we had to start with the waffle. It was crispy and very light, however it was accompanied with a honey butter and rhubarb compote. The compote was sweet and the honey butter was luscious. The combination of these with the waffle was heavenly. We moved onto the bacon plate and sausage sides. The bacon is more like a thick piece of pork belly placed on a tiny pool of maple syrup. Fatty and rich, it was pork candy. The sausage was not your typical breakfast sausage. It was the size of an Italian sausage;it was sweet and savory and fatty. The meal was going well so we decided to keep ordering.

    We ordered the duck hash. When it came out it was quite small and I was nervous the bf wouldn't be full after this meal. The duck was rich, but the eggs were awesome. I am usually not a big fan of eggs and these blew my mind. They were creamy and buttery. Combined with the duck it was perfect. We ended our meal with a pecan sticky bun. Not your average sticky bun at all. More butter, pecans and fatty deliciousness. I was full and ready to pay.

    This was when we started to get frustrated. The menu listed the sausage as a lower price than on the bill. Ok it was only a couple dollars, but still annoying. Earlier in the meal my boyfriend had ordered a beer. The waiter came over and handed him a different beer instead. When we got the bill we saw that he had given us a beer that was double the price. He didn't even bother to mention that earlier.

    I still love Paul Kahan and think he can do no wrong foodwise. However, we felt that his servers were trying to cheat us out of our money a little. I can't say that I won't go back because the food is delicious. Maybe dinner is different?

  • 1.0 star rating
    11/4/2012

    The quote from the Citi commercial "like elf food" sums up The Publican experience.

    My husband and I dined at The Publican for dinner on a Saturday night, and the only good thing I can say is that we were seated right away without a reservation.

    The atmosphere is loud with communal tables.  The concept is the latest trend in Chicago restaurants, shared plates.

    We ordered the suckling pig and blood sausage, traditional Spanish dishes that we both love (we previously lived in Spain).  The suckling pig is $24, the same price as a half chicken.  I laughed out loud when this dish was placed on the table because the serving size was so small.  It tasted and was presented more like a portion of Trader Joe's prepackaged carnitas than an actual suckling pig.  I think there may have been about 6 bites on the plate, clearly not worth $24.  The blood sausage tasted like any salty tube of meat you'd buy at the grocery store.

    To sum it up, there are better ways to spend a Saturday evening and $95 dollars.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/23/2010

    What better way to celebrate your big 2-9 than with a pilgrimage to the swine mecca that is The Publican?  

    When you show up, expect a decor mix somewhere at the intersection of a german beer hall, and an upscale barn that could be part of A Clockwork Orange.  For some reason, all the globe lighting in the middle of the room reminds me of 60s Kubrick, and those little booths w/ the suicide doors are very reminiscent of pig pens.  Think about it -- people "pigging out" on pig, sitting in pig pens.  Something cool and weird about it at the same time.  Also, the bathrooms are awesome.

    The food:
    We started by splitting 12 oysters.  6 pairs of them from around the US, from East coast to West.  My faves were and continue to be Kumamotos.  They were excellent, and I liked them with my IPA.  

    Then, we split a charcuterie plate.  A "must order" if you'd like to try a little bit of everything, and like to share.  The highlight in *this guy's* book was head cheese - something that sounds gross, but that I've been wanting to try for some time.  Sausages and other meats were excellent as well (pork pie, duck galantine, coppa ham).  Stone ground mustard and pickled strawberries (?!) added nice dimensions to the saltiness of everything else.  It was excellent.  

    We took a breather with another drink each and then swung for the fences by ordering the spicy pork rinds and Bollito Misto.  Despite what everyone here says about the rinds, I thought they were gross.  But, another example of something I've always wanted to try and can now check off my list.  Thanks, Publican.  Bollito Misto was a different story.  Although we were bursting at the seams by this point, the meats and veggies were all excellently prepared and served in a delicious broth.  The sausage was my favorite, and my date enjoyed the turkey.  Yummy fingerling potatoes and baby carrots were nice additions.  

    All in all, The Publican is an amazing and not entirely cost prohibitive experience.  I mean, you're going to pay for it, but if you're a fan of the swine you should really hit this place up.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/5/2013
    1 check-in

    I tried numerous places on my 5 day trip to Chicago, and I'd say this town has some great food! The Publican was from start to finish not disappointing at all.

    We arrived for brunch on a Saturday and was promptly seated at one end of the wooden communal table. The decor/interior is beautiful. Seating was interesting. One side had long wooden communal tables, and the left end had interesting booths with individual doors. Near the front entrance were couple traditional table/seats for smaller parties. On to food and drinks.

    Drinks: Smoked Bloody Mary and Bloody Mary. Both were excellent, and the bloody mary I got was perfectly spicy, slightly sour and complete with a mixture of pickled vegis on top. The smoked bloody mary was very interesting, it had a porky flavor that was good, but for me, slightly too "meaty".

    Appetizer: Half dozen mixed oysters. Varieties included those from Washington State, New Zealand, West & East Coat, etc. Very very fresh.

    Mains:
    Brisket & Eggs: Oh man, this was amazing. The brisket had the right amount of char on the outside for some texture, and the meat fell apart in tender chunks. The meat was seasoned well and the fried sunny-side up egg on top played a good supporting role. The tomato "Salsa" on top was also good, didn't really fight the flavors of the brisket but I could've done without it.

    Blood Sausage: My friend's blood sausage was excellent. Smoky, and rich with a full meaty flavor. The casing snapped well and did not come off in stringy bits.

    Maple Ham French Toast: My other friend's dish. A great sweet dish, if you're not feeling the savory choices. The toast seems to have been crisped after being doused with syrup because it was not soggy but slightly crispy on the exterior.

    I recommend any of the three we had that day. Also take a trip to the bathroom -the fountain/sink in the middle of the communal bathroom is pretty cool.

  • 1.0 star rating
    9/21/2013

    I went recently with a group of 8 for Sunday brunch. I did like the easy free parking that I was able to find within walking distance of  the restaurant. While waiting for our group to arrive, a few of us were ushered to a standup  table in the middle of the restaurant.  Literally the MIDDLE of a very noisy restaurant. We ordered coffee from a waiter ,who seemed rushed , and tried to make conversation standing at standup smack in the middle of a crowded noisey restaurant. The seating is very tight and there is no privacy whatsoever. I  Had to kinda climb in and then put my purse between my feet. We were elbow to elbow.  Not a great first impression on a Sunday morning.  The noise level was quite high -we had a hard time hearing each other across the table. I had the Donnas Cheese biscuit. The poached eggs were thoroughly cooked, rendering the dish very dry . I almost asked for butter for my dry biscuit. . My friend had the Duck Confit but did not finish it stating it was super salty. By the way,  This dish was the last to arrive at our table.  First three dishes came out, then 2 more .. Then 1 more- which was wrong and had to be sent back... Really???  It was almost 7 to 10 minutes from the first to last dish to arrive. I got mine in the first round and it was pretty  much Cold by the time I was  able to dig in. I've worked in restaurants - do they run partial trays now???   Furthermore, from where I was seated I could  see the waitress and a male arguing near the kitchen. nice, The waitress brought Pork and Beans as a substitute to the salty Duck Confit. I tried and found it okay . Unfortunately , The poached egg on this dish was well done.  The dishes with poached eggs at our table arrived well done!! The coffee was good as was the Brunch Box cocktail. The food was marginal.
    When the party that we sitting RIGHT  beside us departed, the busboys? came and removed the remaining dishes but then wiped the table sending crumbs flying in our direction. I like the area where this restaurant is located, and would like to try another meal there before I write it off completely. Something that doesn't  involve poached  eggs! If your looking for a good brunch, there are many better spots in the city.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/18/2013

    My favorite restaurant in town. Try everything, enjoy everything, be blown away by everything.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/15/2012

    Everything has been said about this place. I met the BF before we went to a dinner party for some light snacks and brews. I died with their beer list, I love me some Belgian's!  We had the pork rinds and mussels and loved both.

    This place looks as awesome as the food/drink is. For as tall as the ceilings are and as big as the place is, the wood and lighting give this cozy, comfy vibe. My favorite part was the bathroom experience, I loved the communal sink.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/30/2012
    1 check-in

    Hosting staff, thank you for fitting our group at a booth at a very reasonable time. Being the dumbo that I am, I thought I made an 8:30pm reso only to find out I clearly made a reso for 11pm that night. The look on my face was priceless as I tried to comprehend what they told me. Nonetheless, my group to migrate to the bar area where we enjoyed drinks and appetizers and by the time the apps came out, the hostess kindly informed us about an available table, so THANK YOU HOSTING TEAM! You guys rock.

    First dinner for my first time in Chicago and I could definitely tell this was a pork kind of town. I loved the vibe of the restaurant, it was modern, yet had a very "homey" feel to it. I'm guessing they were going for the farm to table dinner gathering with the community seatings. I liked the booth seating enclosure which made you feel like an animal in a barn. I mean, if you had a sense of humor, which I do, it was amusing.

    What I absolutely loved: short ribs: nicely charred, sweet, yet oh so savory, perfection!
    Pork rinds: liked it, didn't necessarily love it.
    Suckling pig: bit on the dry side and more salty than I would have liked
    Mussels: creamy goodness and nice crunch from the celery bits
    oysters: how could you go wrong
    cheese platter: again, how could you go wrong

    Worth it for my first dinner in Chicago, being that I have high expectations?? I think so!

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/4/2009
    22 check-ins

    Step inside this restaurant and you will find yourself in a place that feels like a European beer hall.

    The Publican focuses on pork, oysters, and beer. The beer list is very extensive that at first glance it could look intimidating especially with the excellent myriad of beers made up of local and international microbrews that a lot of people have probably not heard of. But, ask your server anything about beer and he/she will have answers for you. Tell your server what type of beer you like e.g. wheat beer vs. hoppy beer, and they will have recommendations. Or, say that you like Blue Moon, and asked what beers are similar to that. They will have answers for you.

    The caramelized pork belly is always a pleaser and arguably one of the best we have had. A bite of the pork belly melts in the mouth each time. The aged ham is always a must-have for us. We generally like to do a taste of three hams since each variety has its own characteristics. The little gem salad is also very good and it comes with crispy pig ears! Mmm! Don't be afraid of it. It hardly tastes anything like what it sounds. And of course, get the oysters. And the big pot of mussels.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/18/2012

    Publican exceeded my expectations. I've been hesitating to dine here for a while since I'm not a huge fan of communal dining. My experience was definitely bolstered by the fact that we (group of 3) were seated at one of the booth-style tables along the wall. Our fantastic server, Rebekah, guided us through the menu and helped us make selections that hit all the right notes.

    This place is definitely known for their meat and they do it well. We thoroughly enjoyed the sucking pig, duck confit, and pork rillette. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of other items too, such as the chef's selection of oysters and desserts. Though we usually order wine when we eat out, we thoroughly enjoyed the beer selection and our server made excellent choices in recommending the pairings.

    Would definitely recommend!

  • 3.0 star rating
    7/23/2012

    More like Publicant!

    My fiance and I went in for dinner and after all the hype were super excited! We enjoyed the bar selection and the ambiance. However, the food lacked flavor and was not anything spectacular. We got the fries with eggs (I'm a huge egg fan and these were delicious but not runny enough to use the yolk for the fries). Then we had the sirloin, which tasted similar to the meat at Roti and the sweetbreads which had great grilled peaches on the side but sort of had a nauseating taste to them. Overall, we were very disappointed. We were so underwhelmed we opted to have dessert at home.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/30/2013

    On a recent trip to Chicago I was delighted to discover the new West Fulton Market area. What were once old warehouses have, in many cases, been transformed into trendy restaurants, bars and clubs. One particular highlight was the Publican. Most of the restaurant is communal seating which I do not usually like but in this place it seemed to work.
    Upon first glance you may look at the menu and see nothing but various types of pork dishes but the more you explore you realize that while it does have a good amount of pork it also has a great variety of other dishes as well especially seafood. Two major highlights for me were the chef's choice oysters and the charcuterie plate. They source their meats as much as possible directly from the source as opposed to using a big distributor. It was especially cool to see jamon Iberico from Salamanca, Spain as I used to live there and have had a very difficult time finding its' cured deliciousness in the U.S. Another great aspect to the menu is that while it may seem expensive to people from the provinces it is actually quite reasonable for a Chicago restaurant with this kind of quality. They also had a very good wine and cocktail list which is always a plus.
    The service further advanced the experience as the staff were knowledgeable and friendly. I even got a chance to chat with one of the chefs as I was seated at the counter in front of the kitchen.
    Very cool place, very cool vibe. I will definitely be back next time I'm in Chicago.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/21/2012

    Delicious, delicious, delicious! Not only the food, but their grand selection of beer as well! I ended up trying a variety of beers that night with the friends I went with. Even got one that was mixed with champagne and tasted like Bazooka bubble gum!

    Was adventurous and ordered the octopus which came out great: not too rubbery at all! I would suggest the getting the tasting of the three hams as an appetizer - goes great with a pre-dinner beer!

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/6/2011
    1 check-in

    9PM dinner? Not really my style and I was starving by the time I got to Publican. Unfortunately, this was the only time they had that fit our schedule. My friends from NYC were in town and I wanted to show them a hip new restaurant and I picked this one but I was a little worried since it said it was "pub" style and I thought it would be too casual.

    Arrived at 8:55PM and stood near the "bar" area which I thought was super cool and unique. We could see all the dishes passing by and actually chatted with some random people who were standing at our bar table. The bf and I had the Brasserie St. Feuillien (abbey style), which was light and crisp, just the way I love my beer. They come in cute beer cups too.

    15 minutes later, we were seated in a long communal table which I typically don't like but for some reason, I didn't mind this time. We chatted with a couple seated next to us and were recommended some dishes. Our waiter was "typical", nothing unique about him but he did know his dishes and did let us know that we would have more than enough dishes for the four of us.

    Here is our list of food in the order it came out:

    Dozen oysters (4 bagaduce, 4 kusshi, & 4 penn cove) - amazing oysters! so fresh and crisp.

    Frites with George's organic eggs- Nothing spectacular but it was surprising how eggs go along with fries! You need to eat a piece of fry with a piece of egg and you will understand that it goes perfect.

    Sweet Potatoes - AMAZING. How can sweet potatoes go so well with capers?  I dislike capers but it was crunchy and deliciousss. Best sweet potatoes dish ever!

    Provencal fisherman's stew - mussels were so damn good! the sauce is savory too. You have to put the sauce inside with the mussel so you can eat it together. YUMMY YUMMY.

    Lamb meatballs - There was only two meatballs but each couple got to share one. Although they weren't too big, they were pretty chewy and savory. Perfect.

    Duck - SO GOOD. The skin was crispy and the meat was so unbelievably tender. IT WAS FANTASTIC.

    At this point, my stomach was bulging and I was having trouble eating cause I was so full but I still wanted to try the remaining dishes so I had couple bites of the last two.

    Chicken - When this dish came out, I was like Oh, here's a dish I won't like finally. It looks plain and simple.  WRONG! How do they get this chicken so tender? It was the best chicken hands down. I am not a huge fan of chicken, too much chicken gets me sick but I almost didn't want to put my fork down cause it was so good.

    Ribs - Finally our last dish! Amazing amazing. Meat so tender, and sauce so tasty.

    We didn't get to finish the last two dishes so we bagged it and quite frankly, everyone was super happy with this choice of restaurant.
    YAY ME!
    OK, so I give the food A plus plus PLUS. Interior is very unique and decorative with huge pictures of fat pigs (huh?!) It kind of reminded me of my fat dog. HAHA. Love high ceilings and I love the whole wood theme. I am not a fan of communal seating but it was a great experience here. The bathrooms are quite interesting but I got to say that I am a huge fan of it. I was going to give this place 4 stars because we had to wait about 15 minutes and we had a reservation but since the food was so good, I let it slide. I will definitely be back here SOON to get my pig on.

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/11/2012

    I think the level of hype surrounding this place led to a bit of a letdown for me when I finally tried it.

    Our server was mostly absent, despite the place only being half-full during our early reservation. The beer list is impressive, but it can be hard to choose with no descriptions and no server to help you (especially when it comes to the more obscure imports).

    The food was hit-or-miss. Duck hearts were tough and under-seasoned. The suckling pig was also a disappointment-- bland and chewy. The scallops, however, were perfectly prepared with a delicious romesco. Surprisingly, the highlight of the meal was the vegetables. Perfect brussels sprouts.

    I might give them another try, just based on their reputation. But I definitely left my first visit a little disappointed.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/2/2012
    1 check-in

    I've been to Publican for both their dinner and brunch offerings....and both were very good experiences.  I have to say that for dinner, I would opt to go to Avec.  But for brunch, Publican is a must try....so this review will only be for the brunch menu.

    Let's get the venue and service out of the way...both are fine.  Servers are nice and attentive, but nothing spectacular.  The venue is very gastropub inspired with long communal tables and larege globe lighting.

    And now the good stuff...FOOD!!!  Menu has changed over the past couple of years, but everything we've had has been really good.  That would include the sticky buns, walnut banana cake, cheesy buscuit with turkey sausage, skirt steak and eggs, and the pork shoulder.  Also, I would recommend getting a side of their bacon....not your typical thin and crispy style.  Nope, their bacon is thick and sumptuous....reminds me a little of chinese bbq pork.  The portions are adequate, but not huge by any means.  My favorite would be the combo of their waffle and side of bacon....that's the real breakfast of champions!!!

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/18/2012

    The Publican was talked up for a full year to me before I was finally able to get back to Chicago and try it out. Needless to say, I was nervous about it - so many foodie friends raved about it up and down that I'd had an opinion forming in my head. But, on a trip back to Chi, I decided to give it a whirl. We made our reservation and headed in.

    Ambiance - gorgeous. I love the anonymous pig art. Why are you anonymous? I want you for my own house...
    Service - consistently good. Maybe not great, but good. I had one mix-up where I ordered an $8 beer and received a $30 one, but I realized it quickly and the server let us try a sample of the pricey brew anyhow. Nice!
    Menu - admittedly, this is not the most veggie-friendly place. But luckily, we have the Internet now, and one can check menus before coming to a restaurant. In doing so, one realizes that he or she is in for a major porktroplis/meatstravaganza.
    Drinks - GREAT beer selection. Absolutely excellent choices, quite diverse.

    Then, there's the food. The food that I consumed too much of, the food that put me in somewhat of a pork coma afterwards... let's not lie, my boyfriend threw around the term "meat sweats" in a half-joking manner. We started with spicy pork rinds (I HATE pork rinds. I LOVED these.), then moved to the ham sampler plate (I am still dreaming about that incredible selection... hello, serrano!!!). Moved on to the fried lake perch - easily the best I've had, and I lived in the Midwest for 23  years. Then - THEN - the porchetta. A massive undertaking of pork with a minuscule afterthought of tiny tomatoes (they were good, don't get me wrong - but let's be clear about who was playing the starring role in this entree). It was delectable, and despite feeling full to the brim, there was some gluttony that occurred on this fateful night.

    In other words, excellent, lived up to every ounce of the hype for me. A true foodie destination in the city, and worth making the trip for.

  • 3.0 star rating
    12/30/2011

    The Publican is another trendy American restaurant, created by the same people of avec and blackbird,  in Chicago that focuses on beer and pork. Being super close to our place, we decided to try it out. The Publican is located on Fulton so expect to find street parking or valet. The restaurant is dimly lit and huge murals of extra fat pigs hang throughout the restaurant. This time, we did make reservations and were seated right away in a communal long table similar to avec. This part was quite awkward. Sitting uncomfortably close to strangers. Sitting down first and bf taking the long walk to the other side of the table. Good thing our waitress was friendly and the place has an incredibly cool interior. Besides sitting at the communal tables, you can also sit at a table alongside the walls. But that is if you want to feel like you're closed off in a pig pen. Each table is closed off with a wooden door that traps you in with your other pig buddies creating a more private dining experience. Moving on to the food. We ordered a lot because we were hangry (hungry + angry), but you'll see that it wasn't really that much.

    We started off with the chef's selection of an oyster platter. I'm a fresh oyster whore so this was heaven to me. It also came with homemade crackers which was out of this world.

    Pork rinds sprinkled with cheese powder. I could've done without the cheese powder, but good nonetheless.

    Fries with eggs. The idea sounds so good, but it was so not. The fries were good. Like diner down the street good. The egg was good. Together, it just didn't mesh as well as I had hoped. It tasted like two separate dishes, one placed on top of the other. I really looked forward to yolk covered fries, but the fries overpowered the yolky taste.

    And then came the Boudin Blane. Sausage with cream cabbage and pomegranate. This was the highlight of the experience. Sausage was incredibly tasty and went extremely well with the creamy cabbage. Only complaint that the dish was extremely small.

    Suckling pig with some chickpeas underneath. This was very disappointing. They pride themselves in their pork dishes, yet this was very mediocre. It was a little dry. The crunchy skin was the best part.

    Still hungry from the small portions, we decided to order Chocolate Budino. It comes with a peanut buttle cookie, coffee gelato, and honey & cashew brittle. Best part was the gelato. The crunchy honey brittle was awesome, but chocolate budino was way too sweet and strong. Enjoy in small doses.

    Overall, there were ups and downs with the food. Oysters and Sausage were my favs. The others weren't necessarily bad, but definitely not memorable. Staff is nice and food came at a good pace. Expect to spend about $40 per person. I would give this a 3/5 star. Do I like this place? Yea, but not enough to go back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/17/2012
    1 check-in

    Well, where to begin.  I was moderately reluctant to get too hyped up for this place, but it did not disappoint.  Quite the opposite, in fact.  What a fantastic spot this is...the idea is shared plates, with a focus on sourcing simple, proper ingredients.  An oysters, beer and pork joint.  Since I don't eat oysters, 2 out of 3 ain't bad...

    Started with the Haricot Verts, which were done with tuna, roasted cherry tomatoes and an almond "aillade".  This is perhaps the most stunningly awesome combination of flavors in a vegetable dish I've ever had...the beans were crunchy, and the combination of tuna and tomato meshed indulgently with the beans and almonds.  Never would've thought those ingredients would go together, but I was already thinking that Kahan was getting 5/5 on that dish alone. ;)

    Next up was some lightly breaded/fried Lake Erie Perch, fried zucchini, parmesan, red onion and remoulade/Russian dressing.  Kind of a new take on the classic fried fish w/ tartar sauce. The execution was flawless and the flavor combo was again stunning.  Fish & cheese?  Yep, it worked wonderfully.  The zucchini was nice and al dente...really fresh flavor came through, which is hard to do when frying - never mind how great the perch tasted on its own.

    Suckling pig:  nuff said.  I don't even remember the accompanying sauce/reduction/veg...the pork was so over the top...it just flaked apart with ease.  A1.  They killed it on one of their signature offerings, so bravo to treating the pig with respect.

    I was also able to try some of the beef sirloin, which was done medium (even thought they suggested med-rare), and came with a crazy set up of cherries, crunchy hazelnuts and some crisp arugula.  I don't really eat beef/steak anymore, outside of occasional burgers, and this was a well crafted dish that even I enjoyed.

    On top of the great food is great ambiance.  It's an insanely awesome interior design job...minimal European flair.  Really comfortable vibe and cool layout, with a ton of community seating in the middle, and the rest of the tables along the walls.  The whole place had a very casual vibe while still retaining a subtle, unpretentious chicness.

    The service was very good, as well.  Maybe the quickest refills and plate takeaways I've ever seen...the runners were definitely on top of their game.  The wine list is short, but decent and the beers are even better - Zombie Dust on tap alone gets 5/5 stars. ;)

    As far as after dinner ops went, a massive French press of a custom Intelligentsia blend was absolute heaven. Perfect temp and extraction.

    The only thing that sort of missed was the panna cotta.  It was way too set, likely from being served at much too cold of a temperature.  The macerated sour cherries and pistachios on top were good in concept, but the sweetness of the cherries overpowered the delicate sweetness of the cream.  Oh well...a minor misstep.

    Can't wait to hit this place up again.  Fan-effin'-tastic.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/29/2010

    We ventured in for Sunday brunch to check the place out.  We called ahead to find out hours and how busy and it was recommended to have a reservation (which he made).  Upon arrival, everyone was friendly and helpful.  Even though we were a bit early and the kitchen wasn't opened, our waitress greeted us and got us drinks. The fresh squeezed juice was very fresh and tasty (and not too much pulp).

    We both ordered the red wine poached eggs (their version of eggs benedict), the side of hash browns and shared their maple bacon.  My boyfriend told me that my eyes were bigger than my stomach - but with the food here, I was up for the challenge.  The poached eggs in red wine were different but really tasty and served over toasted sourdough bread.  The meal also came with fresh greens and tasty, lean, proscuitto.  Yummy!!!  My eyes were probably bigger than my stomach and yet I couldn't put my fork down.

    It was a laid back and cool atmosphere. As it got more crowded, it got to be very loud and might not be the best place after a late night out.  It is also a bit more pricey for brunch, but well worth it once and a while.  A note: they have some nice outdoor seating as well.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/28/2013

    If you like meat and beer, you will like the Publican. If you do not like meat and beer, you will not like the Publican. If you LOVE meat and beer...well figure it out.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/8/2013

    I cannot say enough good things about this place!  Healthy?  No.  Delicious?  Yes!  And the beer list...?!  I cannot even give it credit!  You need a place to go to get great food and drinks, come to here!

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/2/2013

    The publican. I've been hearing about this place from friends for years now and I finally got to try it out! Went with a party of 7 so we got to try out lots of dishes for not too bad of a price. Starting with a beer list there is something out there to try for every beer enthusiast. The  belgian weissbier was pretty delicious and it was my first time trying a lambic as well!

    Now for the food:
    -chef's selection of oysters: They were all fresh and delicious. I will def try them again next time
    -chicken liver pate: the bread was well toasted and pate was smooth and creamy. not bad at all
    - 3 ham sampler: The ham was extremely good quality and the lard that comes is 10x better than butter!
    -arctic char: not much fish for the price but the fish was fresh and delicious. The eggplant that comes with it was an interesting addition. crisp and light (not what I normally expect out of eggplant)
    -whole chicken: this was the highlight of the meal! Normally not a fan of chicken at restauarants since I eat it so much on a daily basis but this was cooked to perfection. The rotisserie cooking touch made the meat so tender and the juices made the fries amazing
    -Corn: the corn was 10 bucks for a small plate. well seasoned but not worth the price.
    -ham chop: 42 dollars for a ham...is it christmas already? It was a lot of meat for the price but only the marbled fat parts were good. there was plenty of dryness in the non-fatty parts so I won't be trying this again.

    Service was good and the communal dining room gives it an interesting setting. Will try again =)

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/5/2012

    Went for Sunday Brunch and was lucky enough to have reservations. Wait was minimal and our table was great. They have a great selection of beer that is not on the Brunch menu so you have to ask for the full drink menu.

    I ordered the sirloin steak and I have to confess that it was NOT cooked properly. I asked for the steak to be mid-rare but the slices turned out to be a combination of medium to well done. The meat did not look to be cut from a single piece since there was such a variation in doneness. The egg on top of the dish was also overcooked. Barely a runny yolk and actually a big stiff, fully cured yolk sitting on top of the meat.

    The side of bacon was amazing and my GFs dish of pork shoulder was great but I cannot give more than 3 stars to a place that can't properly cook beef or and egg. The potential was there and everything else would make for a great experience but I just couldn't deal with such a big miss on the main dish.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/27/2013

    Came here for brunch and had the Soft Shell Crab and it was delicious.   Great decor and hipster/rustic vibe.  But the service was outstanding.  I came in telling the waiter I had a time constraint and he more than delivered the food on time or as expected.  When we waited awhile for our drinks, he brought them over and than said they were all comped.  Now this is service!!

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 5.0 star rating
    7/30/2012

    Waiters can't be beat. Just let them do the ordering for you... Sit back and enjoy. REALLY just ask which beer goes best with which food to order - they WON'T soak you just because it's the most expensive item on the menu (and even if it is it doesn't matter - it WILL be delicious!)

    I always look forward to the chance to get back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/23/2013

    I was in the city on some errands, and had a bit left in my budget for a nice dinner so I decided to treat myself to dinner here. So glad I did.
    I was seated at the bar, which is where I generally like to sit when I'm alone because I love people watching. I was close to the kitchen, which is beautiful (along with the rest of the decor), and I was also close to what was apparently the tap for a new keg, because the waitstaff all came to try a bit throughout service and talk about the taste with the bartender; it was great to see a bunch of people who clearly love what they're doing.
    I ordered a Founder's porter on the recommendation of my server, Jordan (i believe that was his name?), who was very knowledgeable about the menu. Loved it, will buy it again.
    To start I ordered a salad with apple, kohlrabi and thyme, finished with an olive oil dressing/vinaigrette. I liked it, but it was kind of an odd sensation to have an oil dressing and juicy apple. That being said, it tasted like that because it was fresh.
    I ordered the pork belly with baked beans and coleslaw for my entree, and I'm so glad I did. My mom used to make pulled pork sandwiches with baked beans and coleslaw, and the dish tasted like my memory of those dinners - a bit better than they actually were, and happy. The pork belly was tender and if the beans were a side dish the next time I go, I'd order them again.
    I'll be back as soon as I'm in the city again, and I'm buying a six pack for the kitchen.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/2/2013

    Great meal.  Loved the pappy van winkle on the menu, and having the sole fish cut up so deftly beside our table was an awesome touch.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/31/2010

    My favorite restaurant that we went to on our entire trip.

    Menu reminds me of Animal in Los Angeles. Very meat centric.

    Sweetbreads and pork belly were both recommended by the server and I loved both.....especially the sweetbreads. Awesome. We also got the fish stew which I was not a fan of.

    Love all of the beers that they have and how they recommend "beer pairing" with all dishes.

    Giant pictures of pigs on the wall also and a cool interior add onto the appeal of this space. The older couple next to us also mentioned that the space used to be a giant cooler for the entire meat packing district that the restaurant is a part of.

    Definitely coming back here the next time that I am in town.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/3/2010
    1 check-in

    Oh, my my...

    During my recent trip to Chicago, my dear friend suggested this place.  After the usual extensive research on Yelp, I couldn't wait to get my pork-on at The Publican.  

    Located in the trendy Fulton Market Meatpacking District, the exterior is quaint with some smaller tables on the patio.  Once you walk in, there's a soft glow coming from the sphered lanterns that hang from the ceiling.  The dining area consists of L shaped communal tables.  Along the outer perimeters of the dining room are smaller booths.  I prefered the communal seating; lots of fun rubbing elbows with strangers!

    On to the food.  Oh, the heavenly food.  My gang and I started with the beets with roasted pine nuts, balsamic vinaigrette, burratta cheese and shredded mint leaves.  My friend loves beets and though I do, I wasn't too jazzed about this dish until I actually tasted it.  OMG.  So much for preconceived notions because this dish was divine.  Next was the spinach with poached eggs.  It was decent.  I found it to be a bit under-seasoned.  Next was the pork belly.  Another stellar dish.  The portion of the pork belly was about 10 inches long and glazed with a hint of honey and served with rhubarb over grits.  This dish alone was worth the visit.  Next was the flank steak.  The one word I could muster up was MEH.  Under-seasoned and the panzanella was too citrus-y.  After one bite of the steak, I went back to the pork belly.  I'll be damned if my last bite was going to be a sad bite.

    Even though The Publican has several specialty beers to choose from, I decided since the meal was going to be heavy, that we should have champagne instead.  Wise choice.  The Taso Brut was a perfect compliment.

    Aside from the bland steak and spinach dishes, one other con would be the service.  Our waiter was very attentive when we actually saw him which happened to be in 20 minute spurts.  We didn't want to wait 15 minutes to order another bottle of bubbly.

    All in all, I would highly recommend The Publican.  The atmosphere is rowdy chic and food carefully thought-out and presented nicely.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/17/2012

    This is another of those reviews I've been meaning to write but got lazy. Sorry. Doing it now because this place is worth going to at least once.

    We went for a girlfriend's birthday. Honestly, we were a rather large party, and you know what a pain those can be for restaurants to deal with. But this is a big place and we had reservations so it wasn't a problem. Oh, and a word on reservations...make them! This place is crowded, whew! I never realized how many people are into porky goodness just like me.

    Well, we hung out at the bar for a while until all our party arrive and our table was ready. Nice bar with lots of high-tops.

    But the fun starts with dinner. First, the oysters. This place has beaucoup oyster varieties! We wanted to try them all, so we each ordered our own tray with one of each. When I say beaucoup varieties, I mean it. I swear I must have had about 10 different types of oysters!

    Now, The Publican is not a traditional restaurant. Everything is basically small plates of stuff. But, oh, what stuff! Heavenly stuff!

    I had the Serrano ham, the pork rinds (not the cheap yuck kind, but beautiful tasty rinds), the charcuterie plate and the pickles. Oh, and these aren't just pickles as in the cucumber things. They are all sorts of pickled veggies that they pickle themselves so the selection varies.

    If you ever get the chance and have some extra money to spend, go spend it here.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/2/2013 Updated review
    1 check-in

    Had that itchin for some bacon again. Get the bacon and nothing beats the bloody marys here. Yea...you get a beer with that divine concoction.

    3.0 star rating
    6/27/2010 Previous review
    It's a pork eater's heaven, and even the decor shows it. The feel of the restaurant is a very classy… Read more
  • 3.0 star rating
    2/15/2012

    Solid Sunday brunch experience - I would actually give them a 3.5 if I could.

    Ambience: I'm a fan of the modern-country-chic look with modern light fixtures and giant pig portraits on the wall.  I also liked the fenced in booths to keep the knee-knockin' at bay.  However, I was not a huge fan of communal seating and the noise level.  Make sure you go with a group of 4 to get a cool booth!

    Logistics:  Host had a very warm greeting and was able to seat us fairly quickly since we had reservations. Table staff always kept my water glass filled and was very attentive even though they were smack-dab-in-the-middle of their brunch rush.  Overall I thought they facilitated our experience efficiently.

    Menu:  There was a little confusion about the menu - since they re-use the paper on their menus (kudos for recycling and changing the menu so frequently), I didn't know we were restricted to the 1 side.  Doh!  I guess I'll have to try this place for dinner next time.

    The brunch items I did order was very good!
    We had the maple bacon - which was a thick slice of pork belly, tender and syrupy sweet.  The red wine poached eggs were paired so well with the bed of greens, and the prosciutto - it seemed to fit so intricately.  Winey+creamy eggy+ robusty+salty=wow!
    I had the pork belly carbonara - a bit greasy (but that's expected when dealing with pork belly), fresh parm, and egg - I thoroughly enjoyed it as it provided the comfort and familiarity of a sure thing.  We finished it off with the peach-lavender waffle - perfect waffle texture (mild crunch, warm softness), though I wasn't too keen on tasting the peach lavender essence.  All of this was washed down with some buttered rum and a classic bloody mary(with pickled onions, corn, and sweet pickles floating in it - washed down with a brew-ski).

    I did enjoy myself, but I would still try a few more brunch spots before I circle back to Publican for brunch again - though I would go back to try dinner.
    Make sure that when you go there, that the main attraction is the food - not the convo (no deep heart-to-hearts here), because you won't be able to hear it...
    The place is definitely (as kids like to say,) on-and-poppin' .

  • 2.0 star rating
    5/14/2013

    Stopped in three times now for various occasions, and I have to say I just don't like it. I don't mind so much that the food is fancy and expensive, because we all like a little fancy sometimes; but I do mind that the waitstaff are pretty unclear about when you may get a table, if you may get a table, where you should be if you want a table, and whether you can get food based on where you are standing. The lighting looks beautiful from outside, but seems too bright and too dim at the same time. Not a comfortable place to have a drink with friends. Drinks to impress your boss, perhaps.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/24/2013

    This is my favorite place to eat when we have family in town.  Great atmosphere and exceptional service but the food is AMAZING.
    It's a meat-lovers paradise but I find that my favorites are always the vegetables and fish.  Super beer list with lots of hard to find labels.  The servers are really knowledgeable about suggesting something you'll be sure to love.  This is the kind of place to go with people you don't mind sharing plates with.  It's best with a party of 3-6 so that you can order lots of different things.  We always plan on spending about 3 hours feasting and leaving extremely satisfied.  It's so good you just can't stop tasting and want to try everything.  We've come with my son when he was a baby but just tried to make our reservation for earlier.  They don't have high-chairs, but that's ok, we just brought him in the carseat or on another occasion brought our own little travel high chair.  When we are with my son we just make a reservation for earlier in the evening before it gets crowded and make sure to request a booth.  I wouldn't go so far to say that it's kid-friendly because there are no changing tables, high-chairs or really anything for small children but we make it work.  Our little guy loves trying everything and it's a joy to share this delicious food with him.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/5/2012

    I'm a little late to the Publican party, but I'm so glad I tried out their Sunday brunch when my mom came up to the city.

    We were seated promptly for our ten o'clock reservation, and a bus boy poured the coffee as soon as we sat down. The coffee was so flavorful and deep that the libations that are normally so tempting (on mama's tab! woohoo!) were a lost thought. We started out with the beer bread, which came on a bed of house-made ricotta and topped with honey, walnuts, and a bit of apple. It was a perfectly thought out and simple plate of food. And the bread was just gently sweetened, which my not-so-sweet tooth really enjoyed. My mom had the maple-glazed pork shoulder... and while it was fork-tender and delicious, I preferred my red wine poached eggs. It's pretty difficult for me to eat eggs without simultaneously noshing on some salty bacon, but these eggs didn't need a thing. Except for maybe the bearnaise sauce served on top (so good!) and the sourdough they were sitting on.

    What did I just say about not needing bacon? Oh yeah, we ordered the maple bacon. It wasn't a far cry from my mom's pork shoulder and it was totally delicious. The hash browns were fried to an uber-crisp, which was a party in a mouth but an explosion on the plate. They were just too crispy to cut into without having them fly everywhere! That's truly my only complaint about The Publican, but I was in such food euphoria at 10 AM that I didn't care. Hash browns flew. Everywhere.

    While this wasn't a light meal, none of the dishes felt heavy, muddled, or too rich. They were actually rather elegant and home-y. I will certainly be back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/4/2012

    I can't believe I have taken so long to write a review of this place.  I was here back in December with a friend and we had a great time.
    My friend and I are both foodies and were really looking forward to diving in to a few of the dishes.  
    I like the idea of the communal seating but I will admit, it was nice they gave us a table for two so we could talk a bit easier and we weren't butting elbows with strangers.  
    We started off with a variety of oysters that were delectable.  Then we moved on to the charcuterie plate that features head cheese and a foie gras terrine.  Blood sausage and duck hearts soon followed.  The beer...well we just asked our fabulous server (I"m soooo sorry I don't remember her name) to just pour what she liked with what we were eating and she did an admirable job.  
    It was a great time and we will be back since there is so much more on that menu I want to try.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/11/2012 Updated review

    Finally had dinner here last week, and I might have to convert to a dinner girl here! (From brunch, which I already raved about).
    The Publican does everything from scallops to hamachi to pork belly perfectly. And they have Zombie Dust on tap! A win.
    Don't skip dessert! The belgian waffle (same recipe as used at brunch) is amazing, as is the chocolate cream pie.

    4.0 star rating
    4/29/2012 Previous review
    Finally got to sit in a pigpen for brunch (if you've been here, you know what I mean)! Had been here… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    11/22/2010
    1 check-in
    Listed in 312 - 630 - 708

    It's all about the swine!

    Paintings of big fat pigs, pigs on the napkins, pigs of all sorts on the menu.

    On a recent visit to my childhood hometown of Chicago, I was lucky enough to score reservations at Publican. What a treat!  Large open (but very loud!) dining room with long tables where you're literally sitting next to/in between over diners - probably not the best for great catch up conversation.  For that reason I'm taking a star away. There are private "pens" for tables of 4 which surround the dining room, and may be more conducive to conversations.

    That being said, service was excellent and everything on the menu was fantastic!  Go with a group and order up to share!  Spicy pork rinds, pomme frites with egg, pork belly, duck hearts ("Are those ventricles?! Cool!"), sweetbreads, spinach with pine nuts and mozarella (yes, there are veggie options)... The menu's ever changing!  Great wine and beer list to complement your fat-filled meal.  Great service that delivers.  Mmmmmmmm......

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/15/2013
    1 check-in

    Brought a foodie friend from out of town. He couldn't stop raving. Best meal I've had there, out of several. Server (Nick) was super-helpful, food was outstanding across the board.

  • 3.0 star rating
    11/29/2012

    Didn't live up to the hype...

    Don't get me wrong, The Publican was good, but it wasn't as great as everyone had made it out to be. My wife and I came here to celebrate our 6 month wedding anniversary... which was really just used as an excuse to check this place out, nobody in their right mind should celebrate 6 months out of "forever"... and that was our first mistake, coming here with only 2 people.

    The portions are smaller, yet cost the same as a full meal at other places, so when it's just 2 people, it's hard to try multiple dishes without spending a fortune. I suggest coming with 4 people so you can try more than just a couple plates while keeping the price down. We still ended up trying 4 different things: the aged ham sampler, the sweet potatoes, the fries with egg and the scallops. I'm not a scallops guy, the consistency makes me gag, but my wife loved them. The fries were just french fries with an over-easy egg on top... can't go wrong here. The ham sampler was delicious and the sweet potatoes were amazing.

    Obviously I can't argue that the food is good, but for what you get and what it costs, I really don't think I'd ever come back here. And aside from that, this place is known for it's pork products, or so I was lead to believe, yet I didn't see any bacon on the menu at all? Was I mislead in thinking it was a pork place? It was a little disappointing, but I got over it.

    The other thing that is a little strange, but not too bad, is the communal seating. Since we were a group of 2, we were sat at a super long table that looked like it was straight out of Game of Thrones, between a group of 5 and a group of 4. The group of 5 was in town for business and having a great time. They were super friendly, telling us all about the dishes they got, recommending stuff, and just generally being friendly people. The group of 4 was a younger married couple and one of their parents. The father in the group saw me take out my cell phone one time for about 10 seconds as my wife was doing the same. It was the only time we took our phones out the whole meal (we like to "Check-In" on Foursquare to see if there are deals), yet the old man would constantly ask us if we were texting each other... the whole meal. We never took our phones out again, but he continued to ask whether or not we were going to text each other... He seemed like a nice guy, but it was extremely annoying. So just beware that a crotchety old man who doesn't understand technology, or assumes that because you have your phone out for 10 seconds that you can't sit and talk to your wife, could be sitting next to you possibly ruining your meal. It's a hazard of the communal seating. On the other hand, you could get a group of awesome people sitting next to you which could make your evening that much better.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/13/2013

    One of my friends had been telling to me go to the Publican for a longggg time so I finally decided to check it out and I realized how awesome this place was - The places are meant to be shared so between 4 of us we had the pork belly (YUM),
    beef sirloin, Quail, oysters, frites & pork rinds - All in all everything turned out perfect with the exception of pork rings which had no taste at all.  The beer selection of course is great and we all enjoyed sitting in the booth area - next time it'll be communal

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/10/2013

    The Publican might be our all-time favorite restaurant.  Love the creative menu and unique concept of bringing out food in waves for every one to share.

    These guys have crafted a truly authentic eater experience with amazing, local food; culinary genius and creativity; and a delivery style that facilitates sharing the unique foods (which, of course, makes for interesting conversation) -- pleasantly and profoundly provocative.

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/28/2013
    1 check-in

    I have to say, I was underwhelmed.  Ever since The Publican has opened, I had heard so many wonderful things about this place.  We went for my birthday dinner last night and I have to say I was underwhelmed.  Our service was mediocre, I feel like we had more different people bringing our plates to our table and did not see very much of our server so I would say he was less than attentive.  We started with the half charcuterie plate which were meats prepared directly at The Pulican so it was definitely more unique than your standard charcuterie plate.  Our fav was the still warm mortedella sausage and the pork pie although the pastry on my pork pie was a little hard and dry.  Next came our pork rinds..liked the spicy cheese powder and even though pork rinds never sounded good to me, they were pretty interesting.  Then came our brussel sprouts with burrata which was my favorite dish.  The brussel sprout were shaved and came with a light dressing with pepitas, very tasty!  We ordered the cajun sausage which was good but to me, it had a bitter after taste and it wasn't very memorable.  We did like the slaw on the side however.  Our last dish was the succulent pig which was FAR from succulent and was VERY dry.  For dessert we split the ice cream sundae.  Now neither my fiance and I are fond of the whole salty and sweet thing and someone was over heavy handed in the salt because our sundae tasted like sodium laced ice cream which is just gross.  The only upside to dessert was the little mini ice cream sandwiches we received for my birthday dessert.  If I had known we would be getting those, I would have said no to the ice cream sundae and asked for more mini ice cream sandwiches.   Overall its worth a try, but not really worth the return visit.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/20/2010

    At 343 reviews, my review is likely to be read only by my friends/followers.  So let me tell you, friends, that I implore you to book a flight to Chicago just to eat at The Publican.  (Unless you live a pork-free lifestyle--then you should stay away.)

    One of the best meals I've enjoyed in a while. Certainly the best meal I had during my stay in Chicago.  Despite my apprehension as a Jersey girl who grew up on pork-roll-and-egg sandwiches, I ordered just that when I learned it was house-made.  Simply delicious, with that good pork roll tang.  The house pickle chips were also delicious. Even the egg was special.  Somehow, they made a sunny side up egg that didn't have a runny white.  And the frites--oh, the frites!  so good and fresh and crispy and better than any home fries I could have imagined.

    We all shared, so I tried the excellent and flaky scone and the moist, flavorful prune coffee cake.  The pork confit hash was also a standout and might have beaten my amazing sandwich in the flavor department.  The bacon should be named something else, because to call it the same thing as the stuff you get at the supermarket is criminal.  It was thick slices of meaty pork belly with a maple glaze that was subtle and not overpowering.  I normally avoid bacon, but this was a great pork dish.

    Intelligentsia coffee was always topped off, and the brown sugar cubes offered were a nice touch.  My SO got a bloody mary that was so different and amazing that it was like eating a salad in a glass.  There were pickled veggies (nice was to add salty flavor) and some chopped fresh veggies in the mix, with celery bitters instead of a big stalk. The beer served alongside it might be a throwback to the old days, or may be their own invention. Either way, it was an inspired beverage.

    Service was excellent. Our server heard us waffling about ordering one more thing (pork rinds) and brought them to us gratis because he wanted to be sure we got to try them.  Wow. They were attentive but not intrusive, and they let us catch up and chat as long as we liked despite the line for a table.  We, of course, went for a walk in order to keep chatting so that more people could enjoy this excellent food.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/16/2010

    My two big tips are:

    Read the menu before you decide to go and make sure there is something you see that you like. I dont feel like I am a picky eater until I peruse a menu like this. Tongue, quail, venison and beef heart.....not really for me.

    Tip number 2: The appetizers are not in their own section. For example, the header will be FISH and the appetizers are underneath and then the entrees but each are not labeled as appetizer, or entree. And the price is deceiving too. You think youre getting away with a nice entree of scallops for $15 but it's really an appetizer portion. Ask questions!

    The interior is nice, simple, country communal dining with a nice upscale clean look. The only problem is that it's too noisy and if youre dining next to some loud bozo who keeps pounding the table with his fists when he belts out what might be laughter all night, its a little toooo loud.

    They had a nice idea with the bathrooms but for women I dont think it jives well. Again, going with the communal theme, the washroon is one huge room with no door. Spaced over two walls are four bathroom stalls labeled "men" or "women"  which are complete rooms with doors that go from floor to ceiling. There is a little mirror in there if you need to fix your hair but no where to lay out any hair fixin' supplies. To wash your hands you have to go back out into the big room and use the round trough-like sink with fancy pump soaps on top.

    Now on to the reason we were really there int he first place - to eat! We got a nice huge bottle of belgian beer selected by our waiter. Excellent choice but dont ask me what it was. We shared a salad, which, in most places, for $7 would be enought for 2 to share - not so much here. We had the scallops for an appetixer which came with a wonderful smoked cauliflower. I need to figure out how to make that at home! The entree was the farm chicken. For the price it was worth it because this was probably the best damn chicken I have ever had. it was broiled and basted with olive oil! So much healthier than corn oil or whatever garbage they use at other restuarants. They placed the chicken atop fries - called frites when you pay a lot for them. The juices from the chicken ran into the fries and.......OMG!

    Overall it was good. A little loud and a little over priced but the service was excellent and the food was too.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/6/2010
    Listed in Chicago

    Fans of Pork and Beer will be in heaven at the Publican. Yes, you should eat the pork rinds. And the ham sampler. And the frites. Anything pork is good. As far as the rest of the items - the seafood portions are small - if you order the scallops and think that you will get more than a bite, you will be disappointed.

    The beer selection is outstanding - lots of belgians and craft beers. They even have the correct glasses for serving the beers.

    My only knock is that I felt my server was a little condescending. I don't want to go into details but it just was very off putting and I definitely did not appreciate it.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/25/2013

    We celebrated my sister's and my birthday here and it was an awesome meal.  We were seated on the pig-pen style booths (hee hee, piggies in a pig pen) which added for a more unique experience.  We had lots of great dishes here but the highlight would be the porchetta.  Porchetta.  Porchetta.  I wish the serving size could be the entire loaf (chunk? hunk? leg?) of porchetta because we could have had appetizers, main course, and even dessert from it!  Yes, I love pork. Hence, I love Publican.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/24/2012
    1 check-in

    Came here on a Friday night with family and the place was packed and lively. I had the scallops, bouchot mussels, veal daube, ham chop in hay, and blood sausage. Everything was delicious! The blood sausage is a dish I continue to rave about to any foodie who will lend an ear.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/8/2012

    Fantastic Brunch, great bloody marys, outstanding service.

    I had the cheddar bratwurst and it was perfect. Also, pork belly and bacon were hits at our table.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/13/2012
    1 check-in

    Came to dinner at Publican this past week while in town for work. My brother had been before and loved it - so he thought it would be a great place to go to.

    It's a beautiful restaurant, with lots of space, and a wonderful ambiance. Very busy, and everybody seemed to be having a great time.

    Made a reservation for 8:30 - even though we showed up early, they seated us immediately. Our waiter was busy, but took the opportunity to introduce himself briefly, and give us a quick rundown of the menu. After some difficult decision making - we decided on half a dozen oysters, the charcuterie plate, snow crab, and blood sausage.

    The oysters were impeccable. Perfect temperature, not pierced, and they were served with a little piece of paper which detailed where the different types were on the plate - genius idea! The charcuterie plate was phenomenal. The different types of cured meats were so unique - and went well with the pickled cauliflower, grainy mustard, preserves spread, and cornichons. Next was the snow crab, which was tossed in  some sort of herb butter/oil sauce. AMAZING. Definitely worth the mess that comes along with cracking open crab legs. I think my least favorite part of the dinner was the blood sausage. Even though it was really good, I just don't think it was really 'my thing'. Personal preference I suppose.

    Skipped dessert and but each had a glass of honey wine. Although I was a little put off by how sweet the nose was, it was smooth and lighter than expected. Would definitely recommend if you like dessert wines!

    Overall, I had a great experience. Will definitely try to make it back the next time I'm in town.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/19/2011

    I secretly hate brunch.  It's too often crap.  Cliched dishes, made with sub par ingredients and poor preparation that I could do better myself at home.  Usually not worth the time and money it wastes on a rare day off.  

    The Publican makes brunch worth it. Fresh and excellent ingredients, unique dishes, and things I could never make myself.  The lamb shank and smoked char were done well and I would certainly go back to have these dishes again. My friends enjoyed their quiches as well.  The biscuit with homemade preserves and sticky bun forced me to exercise self control so I didn't devour both.  

    I need to come back for dinner.

  • 2.0 star rating
    6/21/2010

    I would never run back here with so many fabulous restaurant spots in Chicago.  To be honest, with such good ratings, this one causes me to lose trust in Yelp.

    The food was pretty sad and tasteless.  Everything lacked seasoning.  The menu was highly creative but the execution definitely was lacking.  I didn't even finish one of the five dishes I ordered.  This is from someone who has rarely missed a meal and LOVES food.  Normally, I'd be licking the plate in a place like this.

    To add insult to injury, I had three different wines.  And, none of them I would ever drink again.  The hostess was rude with an attitude (despite that the place was empty on a Monday night).  Service and ambiance also left a lot to be desired.  It's Sad.  Very sad.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/2/2012

    Did Chef Paul Kahan come up with this restaurant just for me?  Oysters, Seafood, Pork, and Craft Beer.  Hell yes!

    Chicago has so many wonderful places to eat, but as of now the publican is my favorite. The quality of all the of the food and preparation of the dishes is incredible. Oysters have always been super fresh and every time I have been in there has been a new type for me to try. The beer program is out of this world too. Had a very eclectic Belgian sour on tap to pair with the oysters on suggestion of the very knowledgeable bartender. One of the best food and beer pairings ever. Mussels always cooked perfectly, charcuterie made in house, fries with fried egg on top are some of my favorites.  Yes, everything does taste better with a fried egg.

    The staff has always taken care of me and offered excellent advice on dishes to try and beer/food parinings.  Since I'm not a big fan of chatting it up with people I dont know, I like to sit at the bar and avoid the communal tables.

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/28/2013
    1 check-in

    Gotta disagree with those that say the place lacks pretense.  Not only is it palpable when you walk in, but I feel it throughout the menu and in the staff.  No question they are taking food in some interesting directions, but I'm not convinced these are directions I care to go.  If you're not a fan of belgians or hoppy pales, you may not be as impressed with that part of the menu either.  The spicy and fresh fried pork skins were delicious and the cured meat plate had some VERY tasty offerings, but there wasn't really enough to share the latter with my dinner companions, and for the money, all of us were disappointed.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/22/2012
    1 check-in

    Not going to get into much detail.  One o my favorite places.  Great beer list, great apps, great oysters (shaws is the best), must live the swine.  Try the pork rinds.  Must like Swine however there are some alternatives.  Outdoor space is limited but it's kinda cool in the warehouse area.  Knowledgable staff know their beer

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/22/2010

    The Publican was my first foray into rustic nose to tail fine dining.  It won me over like whoa.  Bye bye fussy towers of thing, hello pork rinds and lard fries.

    The oysters are boss, and the pork belly is to die for, but it is Paul Kahan we're talking about here, so, duh.

    Not so much on the desserts, but the cheese board is solid.

    The waiters are super knowledgeable about the multitudes of beer on the menu, so don't be intimidated!  Just tell your server what flavor profile you crave and they'll make the perfect beer appear on your table with a poof and a little wiggle of their adorbs checked shirt.  Mostly they'll just go get it for you, but still.

    I would lurve a cocktail list, but that's just me.

    Also the decor is charming in a "are we sitting in a horse stall?" kind of way.

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/17/2012
    1 check-in
    Listed in Wild Wild West

    I don't get the hype.

    I came to The Publican on an impromptu double date with my favorite foodie couple. I'd heard the rave reviews, so I was excited for dinner. Everything here is meant to be shared, tapas-style. We ordered a little bit of everything, including the ham sampler, sweetbreads, steak tartare, pork belly, lobster, frites with a fried egg, and beets. Some stuff was great (steak tartare, pork belly, lobster) and others were just OK (sweetbreads). The best part of the meal was dessert, so I highly recommend that you leave room for it. We ordered one of each dessert and polished everything off.

    A meal here will cost you big time, so be warned that while this place may look and feel like your casual neighborhood bar, it's priced for foodies.

    The service was great, and I loved the aesthetics (there are baskets under your chair for your purse!), but I just didn't buy into the hype. The food was good, and I'm glad I tried it, but I'm not sure I'll come back.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/14/2012

    The restaurant has a great interior. We walked in for an early Saturday night dinner without a reservation and ate at the bar - very pleasant service and experience.The main compliment is the awesome, extensive drink menu. Sampled variety of Belgian beers and also enjoyed a Lambic mixed with cider. Really liked the Maison des Futailles, "Sortilege" (canadian whiskey with maple syrup). Minor complaint that they were out of a few drinks listed on their menu that we asked for. Loved the oysters - I preferred West Coast and my husband preferred East Coast. The other dishes we tried were also good: ham, mussels, suckling pig, waffle dessert. Would return again.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/20/2010

    I worship at the Altar of Pigs, and The Publican is my temple. Not much to left to say, but I have 2 tips.

    Tip 1: Their Sunday brunch is in the $10 range, making it a really cheap way to worship (scrapple that is mostly pig belly = very pious).

    Tip 2: Order the chicken (during normal dinner hours). I know it sounds boring compared to the other items. But it's crazy good. Get it.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/18/2013

    Everything was very Delicious!

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/2/2013
    1 check-in

    Love this place. It has a specially vibe. Wooden interior and high ceilings. The menu is not standard and has some really nice dishes. Will definitely go back, when I'm in Chicago again.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/17/2013
    1 check-in

    Interesting restaurant style, standing bar tables only in center room, flanked with booths that seemingly have to be pre-reserved (even when restaurant is empty at 5pm). And long communal tables. All in all a very interesting layout, very nice decor, and the people behind the bar seemed VERY serious about their beer.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/1/2014

    our first time there was tonight and it was amazing. great service, great food -- will definitely be back!

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/29/2012

    Been to Publican twice for brunch.  It's lovely and always very busy.

    Most recently, I had a smoked fish with bagel thing.  I love smoked fish.  This was the perfect light but filling meal.

    They make their tea wrong.  Instead of being able to take the tea leaves out to avoid an overly steeped, strongly-flavored brew, the tea is thrown in the pot with no way to remove it.  Thus, my tea was too fruity toward the bottom of the pot.

    Always a nice way to start the day even if it's a late start.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

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  • 5.0 star rating
    4/9/2012

    The Publican may be my favorite restaurant in Chicago. And yes, that's a bold and ballsy statement to make when Chicago has SO many good restaurants.

    I came here on Saturday evening to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday, and had made a reservation through Open Table for 7pm. I requested one of the private tables specifically in the request, and the majority of the diners are seated at a large table in the center of the restaurant.  It's not a huge deal, but if you're looking for a more private dinner, I'd highly recommend requesting this in your reservation.  We were seated in one of the "pig stall" tables where you're literally boxed into a table that resembles an animal's stall. While this kind of freaked out the one vegetarian diner in our party, we enjoyed how secluded we felt while in the stall.

    Upon being seated, we were shown the menu and given a quick run-down on the way it works. All of the food is supposed to be ordered at once so that they can bring it out in courses, and all of the items are intended to be shared. Since we had a vegetarian in the group, it kind of created a lack of flow later in the night, but that was to be expected. Before we started picking apart the menu to decide what we wanted, we shifted our focus to the expansive beer menu to pick out a few unique brews. They have an extensive Belgian offering, which was to our liking.

    As for the food, this was the second time I was at the Publican and I was blown away. We decided to order the following:

    1) The Daily Pickles
    2) Chicken Liver Pate
    3) Pork Belly (Obviously, you have to get this here)
    4) Boudin Blanc
    5) Bollito Misto
    6) Octopus
    7) Fried Cauliflower

    The Daily Pickles came out first, and it took us by surprise. We all were thinking that it would be a plate of pickles, but nope, it was a variety of pickled vegetables. There was picked red onion which was a spicy vinegar infusion of flavor that was outstanding. There was also pickled cauliflower that was bright yellow and was surprisingly delicious. Lastly, there were lightly pickled cucumbers which tasted like bread and butter pickles. This dish was so amazing that it was gone within a minute (and I'm barely exaggerating here) and we put in another order as it was only a whopping $4. The Octopus came out next, which is what the vegetarian member of our party ordered. She let us each sample a piece of it, and I really enjoyed this dish. Normally I'm not a fan of grilled calamari due to its rubbery texture, but this was about as far away from it as you could get. It had a nice bite to it and was wonderfully flavored. My only regret of the evening was that we hadn't ordered this for the whole table. The pork belly came out next, which is a tried and true dish that is executed perfectly here. The artichokes, olives, and grits really enhanced the flavor, and it was gone all too quickly. Next up was the Bollito Misto which came in a cast iron pan and was piping hot. The medley of tender, well flavored meats simmering in a salsa verde sauce was amazing. It reminded me of a soupy-stew that had a sampling of a wide range of meats and veggies. I really enjoyed this dish. Lastly, for the main courses, the boudin blanc arrived. This was simply a white sausage on a bed of veggies. To be honest, this was my least favorite dish of the night as it wasn't very interesting. Don't get me wrong, it was good, but it just lacked a certain something.

    After all of these items came out, we had to wait about 10 minutes for the fried cauliflower. I think there was some kitchen mishap as I overheard a few other tables asking about it and the waitress seemed a bit flushed. Regardless, the fried cauliflower was worth the wait. It was lightly breaded and cooked to perfection--not at all mushy and it had a nice crunch to it. The cauliflower was served over a green chili sauce that was extremely tasty.

    Lastly, to finish off the meal, we went with their waffle with maple ice cream, peanut brittle, and peanut butter hot fudge sauce. I have had their signature waffle in the past, but this one blew it out of the water. The maple ice cream paired with the waffle was a nice touch, as this was a tribute to the classic waffle and maple flavor combination. Although, with the addition of the peanut butter fudge and the peanut brittle, the waffle was incredible. This is a dessert that you have to get, no matter how full you are, and if it's on the menu.

    The service here is also top notch--your water glass will rarely ever reach the point of being empty and they are prompt with drink orders. Our waitress was extremely nice, and struck a great balance with checking in on us just enough to not be intrusive. She also had a great sense of humor and great recommendations.

    As a final note, the Publican gave my boyfriend a free cupcake for his birthday with a candle. It's always a nice touch when restaurants acknowledge a special event and help you celebrate.

    I can't wait until I get to venture back to the Publican.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/30/2013

    Have been to The Publican quite few times and every time they have been great. Food is good and if you get to seat outside when the weather is nice you will enjoy more for sure. Will be back :)

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/16/2010
    1 check-in

    The food was lovely... the service, left something to be desired the time we were there.

    Paul Kahan has a great space, that's really fun and encourages conversations and a friendly environment.  He was there the night we ate, shucking oysters. I found that exceptionally cool.  The booth seating is kind of set up like stockyard boxes.  We actually sat at the corner of one of the communal tables.  I think one of the issues I had was the spot we were in. Not because it was bad placement, but the people around us were a little weird.  A group of 3 had the man of the group taking up significantly more than the space one person should take up, and was spilling into our area with broad gestures, making it hard to get 100% comfortable in our space.

    Definitely a point for their beer selection. It was impressive, and that it wasn't just a large list, but a quality list gives them extra points.

    Everything came out in an interesting order. The summer beans with bacon and vinaigrette came out first. They were exceptionally flavorful, and really light.  

    My husband and I shared a charcuterie plate.  Everything was wonderfully flavorful.  I loved the duck galantine especially was one of my favorites on the tray.

    My husband had the pork belly dish, which was well cooked, tender, unctuous, all good things, but it was uninspired seasoning.  I've had much worse, but definitely I've had better.

    I ordered the bollito misto, and it was fantastic. However, it came over an  hour after the charcuterie plate arrived, so we had already eaten pretty much a full meal, and we were stuffed. I wish things came in a different order, so we were able to fully enjoy this dish.  I was looking forward mostly to the pork confit in the bollito misto, but the turkey was oddly enough the star.  I'd eat this again, but with less lead up.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/16/2010

    Currently, my favorite place in Chicago.  Takes the gastropub idea to a level previously unseen.  For a pork lover, it's heaven.  Menu is organized top to bottom smallest portions to biggest.  Constantly rotating which means you can go in 4 times a month and always have something different.  A huge plus.  Standouts are the pork rinds, mussels, charcuterie and sweetbreads, which are always on the menu in some form or another. Desserts are also a huge strong suit.  They rotate as well so be sure to try at least one on your visit.

    It also has the second best beer list in the city besides Hopleaf.  Some great hard to find European and American craft brews and the resident beer "sommeliers" do a great job pairing them up.  Great atmosphere and staff.

    A terrific addition to the Chicago dining scene.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/27/2014

    If you like gastropub's, here's Mecca for you. I've been here 6 times and don't think I'd ever get tired of visiting.  Each time I've visited my friends and I always get their blood sausage, sweetbreads, pork belly and frites with egg.  Oh yeah, forgot about the oysters, they're always fresh and they have great variety.  They always have something fun beer-wise, too.  I find the wine list to be a little lacking. I can't say enough about Publican, the atmosphere, the food, striking up a conversation with people sitting near you makes me love this place.  If you haven't been, go!

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/18/2009 Updated review

    I knew dinner at The Publican was great, but brunch is just as good! I started with a mimosa and to be honest, I didn't love it. It tasted weird to me. Me thinks they accidentally served me the Publican mimosa made of beer instead of champagne. Now that was the bad part of brunch, everything else was delicious.

    When it was time to order I had a hard time deciding between the grilled pork shoulder sandwich with bacon, fried egg and cabbage slaw served on ciabatta or the braised chicken with grits. For some reason, I just couldn't shake my sudden craving for grits. I just had a feeling the Publican would make amazing grits, so I went with the chicken entree. Best decision ever (in regards to Sunday brunching). The grits were spectacular and I really wanted to order an extra serving since the meal itself only came with about two tablespoons worth. The chicken was so moist and flavorful with just a little bit of crispy skin. Don't lie, you love the crispy chicken skin. I also foolishly ordered a side of Publican bacon which is really just a thick slab of pork belly and not typical bacon at all. One bite and I felt my cholesterol skyrocket....but it was worth it.

    I spent two hours in the gym after this brunch but I also didn't eat for the rest of the day since I was still so full. The price was very reasonable and lower than I expected. I highly recommend the Publican for Sunday brunch. Just skip the mimosa or be clear that you want a regular mimosa and not their special one.

    4.0 star rating
    10/22/2008 Previous review
    If the thought of people consuming mass amounts of pork offends and disgusts you then you should not… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    8/10/2013

    Meat lovers rejoice!

    Check out the full review with pictures here:
    thebuckwheater.com/publi…

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/21/2013

    This place is mazing, if you haven't been here I would highly suggest you go asap!  Great atmosphere and the food is unbelievable.  Make sure to get the lobster and cauliflower au gratin, out of this world.  I can't wait to go back!

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/5/2013

    It's place was really fantastic. I wouldn't come here very often since the food is so rich, but once in a while for a nice treat is the way to go. I'm not a fan of community seating, but somehow we were able to avoid it. The service was a little spotty. I would describe the service as lacking. The food was great, but I was surprised at the small beverage options. Like I said I wouldn't go here all the time, but it was an enjoyable experience.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/30/2012

    Publican has  enough love letters and Odes dedicated to them that maybe I should just give you an overview. Ok, 7 things. Or, 6 short things and one long thing.

    1. I was surprised at the bacon. It was amazing: fatty, thick and perfect. But I didn't expect it to be so thick. I thought it would be a typical strip. Definitely not a bad thing.   2. We had a pecan roll given to us as a birthday treat, and it was to die for.
    3. My girlfriend had a boring egg white only omelet (healthy, sure but not at Publican!).
    4. My bloody mary was great, and I love that they're reasonably priced and come with a beer back.  
    5. The duck hash was good, but not amazing.
    6. My side of grits must be the saddest grits ever made. Or simply under cooked. I'm not sure which.

    I travel to the Deep South often for work, so I've had pretty much anything you can name fried and more than my fair share of grits, as I love them. I was wary about getting grits north of the Mason Dixie line, and I should have followed my gut, but hey,  I thought, "this is The Publican! They wouldn't put something on the menu that wasn't  good." I also asked the server how they were. She said they were creamy. Well, I *guess* they could be considered creamy. But mostly they were lumpy, with me having to chew a little grit or five in each bite. I've never had to chew grits like that. On the other hand, the flavor was great. It was just the consistency/texture that was off.

    7. The service was a little lackluster, as they were not good with coffee or water refills, but the staff made up for it in kindness. You won't find those brooding, "you should be grateful I'm serving you" people here.

    I will be back, but I won't be getting their grits again.

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/2/2013

    Very crowded and loud place. Very friendly, helpful and cheerful service. However, I am not sure the foods are delicious enough to promote this place. May be it is because we did not try  too many foods as we've been there only one time.

    Ham plate 4/5
    Corn dish 4/5
    Chef's selection oysters 3/5
    Country ribs 3/5
    Octopus 2/5
    Beers 3/5 (I didn't like mine although it has quite different taste but others' are fine)
    Caramel pound-cake 1/5

  • 2.0 star rating
    2/24/2014

    Went for brunch with a group of 10. Had read all reviews, best brunch in Chicago. It was fair. Hard to believe it's ranked one of the best. Kept waiting to be wowed. Bacon, which we all love was one inch thick uncooked slabs. Very few ate them. Two of us received our food after everyone was finished. No one cared. Place was not full. Would not return for brunch. Many better options.

  • 3.0 star rating
    7/30/2013

    I don't get it.  We had solid drinks and a decent charcuterie plate.  Service was fine.  Overall, no real complaints.  Relative to expectations though, we were a bit underwhelmed, especially for something on the pricier side.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/1/2012

    The Publican is a foodie meat fever dream. Set in a bright (almost too bright as to create a bit of glaring ambiance) wood-toned space diners eat at either communal tables or in "stalls" (booths with odd, awkward wood doors that close you in and require servers and waitstaff to crane and reach over to serve and access finished plates. I'm sure they hate this design feature.

    The food is small tasting plates mostly with a fantastic charcuterie, some of the best sweetbreads (actually sweet!) I've ever eaten and some sublime fish plates as well. The most amazing thing of all was likely the simplest: roasted chicken. GET IT! It's a little bit of delicious heaven on a sharing platter.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/20/2012
    3 check-ins

    Loved the Publican. Fantastic service, amazing food, and a great selection of beers, what's not to like? Our waitress was excellent at helping us decide on food and beverages. I have a pretty extensive knowledge of beer and knew maybe 2 or 3 of the beers available on draft. Our waitress was able to point me towards a Belgian style quad that really hit the spot. In terms of food we ordered several of the vegetable dishes to share and then individual/shared meat dishes for the various diners. The amount of food was great and the range of tasty options really demonstrated that the Publican is no one trick pony (or piggy). Loved the ambiance including the wide open dining area centered on some high tables for people to hang out and have a drink and long communal tables encircling the dining room. It really created an atmosphere of a bunch of people coming together to enjoy some food and drink together.  For dessert we had a chocolate beet cake which was really interesting, not too sweet accompanied by some rice puffs that reminded me off cocoa pebbles. Kind of an odd dessert that didn't quite satisfy my sweet tooth but I have the dessert palate of an overactive 12 year old. Absolutely loved the Publican overall though, great place!

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/29/2012 Updated review
    2 check-ins

    Again, a fantastic Sunday afternoon.

    Gin and 'treuse...
    The pork belly bibimbap...
    pork skins
    lamb sausage...
    GRITS...
    and the staff... on their game!

    Wow, I'm so glad we got in and in retrospect, that the pork shoulder was sold out at the time of seating.  I would not have ventured above otherwise, and it was outstanding.  THANK YOU.

    5.0 star rating
    3/26/2012 Previous review
    Now I understand what everyone is talking about.... OUTSTANDING BRUNCH!

    We arrived around 1 pm, went…
    Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    4/29/2013

    Fun scene at the stand-up bar, great service, delicious food -- highlights were cheese,  pickles, pig. Will go back to try the hen!

  • 2.0 star rating
    12/28/2009

    I ate dinner at Publican and it was alright. It's fantastic if you're a PORK fan. The concept is pretty neat. It's mimicked after a Belgian Ale House, so most likely you're going to be eating at the hugely long wooden table with a big wooden high-back chair shared with others. If you don't like sharing your table, don't go here. The china is all mismatched and something you would find at your Grandma's house-which I thought was cute.

    FOOD
    There was a big group of us, so we pretty much ordered everything on the menu. The food is just really simple and kind of strange. DONT EAT HERE IF YOURE ON A DIET. We ordered the radish with sea salt and butter, which most people would think of radish sauteed in butter and sprinkled with salt? NOPE not here. You get raw, sliced radish, a slab of butter and a cup of salt. Uhmm okay??

    I hate ribs and their ribs were pretty sweet. They didn't have the typical BBQ smokey taste. The chicken was pretty decent but nothing to write home about. I'm allergic to fish, but we ordered a ton of it and no one seemed that thrilled with it. The fish soup comes out in a big cauldron and it's a modge podge of random fish stuff.

    Overall this place is over priced, comfort food with an extensive beer list that might impress some people.

    Well I go out to nice places all the time and know better. I'm not impressed.

  • 3.0 star rating
    7/23/2012

    4 star dinner, 3 star brunch.  Let's talk about the brunch. You have to go to this place expecting heavy meat based plates, obviously, it's a pork house.  We started with three of the bakery items - all duds.  Dry and bland seemed to be the theme across the three. Fail.

    I had the pork shoulder over kale and polenta.  Fantastic. Very heavy, but well flavored and cooked properly.  Take the pickled calliflower out and throw it on the floor - its very disrupting in the flavors of the dish. BUT, I definitely recommend - just don't get any of the starters.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/16/2009

    So 6 hours later I was having palpitations, chewing on baby aspirin and fighting for air as my heart rate raced trying to sustain my body.

    I still had a smile as the smokiness of the pig I ingested coursed through my arteries and as a last meal it was damn fun.

    Is wonderful to see how creative one can be with good beer and horny tummy and big slabs of pork to cut, to carve, to smoke, to marinate, to prepare, to honor, to celebrate, to enjoy.

    This is a pub to satisfy the carnal primal voices, to share with the world, to share with the friends, to weed out the tightly wound "foodies", to bring together the enlightened and hungry.

    so I write a song to make the whole world sing...

    "I ::fart sound::  ate this

    I ::fart sound::  ate that

    I ::fart sound:: : and had a heart attack

    I ::fart sound::   had fun

    I ::fart sound::   even for a party of one

    I ::fart sound::   love the pig

    I ::fart sound::   I see in me

    I ::fart sound::  yay me! ""

    ;p

    yay Mary, the most awesome server!

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/20/2012

    I've been here for brunch and dinner. Both were phenomenal.

    For brunch, I had the red wine poached eggs with la quercia prociutto, sourdough and bearnaise. Delicious. How could you go wrong?

    I loved the brunch but the experience I had here at dinner was by far the most impressive. I recommend going with a group of at least 5 people and sharing a bunch of plates so you have a chance to try many of the delectable dishes on the meat-heavy menu.

    We started with the Taste of Three Hams which includes:
    - Serrano, a rich and wild ham
    - La Quercia Rossa, mild and smooth
    - Benton Country Ham , smoky and sweet

    You can't fully enjoy the Publican unless you indulge in their pork products, as you might guess from the giant paintings of pigs that adorn this spacious, design-conscious restaurant.

    I hear that the oysters are wonderful too but we tried the fish & chips and the sand dabs. The fish and chips were perfect, flaky and moist. The sand dabs were excellent as well, almost buttery in the way that they melt in your mouth.

    Everything I've ever had from the Slagel Family Farm is delectable and the Sirloin Steak at the Publican is no exception. You'll want to savor each bite of this flavorful cut of meat and the avocado/beet side dish compliments its flavors perfectly.

    The farm chicken with summer sausage and frites will not disappoint as it is ridiculously tender and moist in the way that good chicken should be. The crispy frites soak up the flavorful chicken juices! You'll probably make inappropriate noises and you definitely won't want to stop eating them.

    I have two final words of wisdom for you: PORK BELLY. The maple glaze gives it a perfect sweet crispness on the outside and the inside is pure juicy, mouthwatering pork goodness. Trust me, it's everything you want it to be.

    By the end of the meal I was in the happiest meat coma I've experienced in a while and I'm already planning a trip back. Grab some friends and JUST GO. You won't regret it.

    P.S. THE BEER LIST. The. Beer. List. Just do it.

  • 2.0 star rating
    5/20/2013 Updated review
    6 check-ins

    We love the Publican for brunch. Whenever we get to Chicago we try to hit it for brunch. Last time we even brought our entire kitchen staff in to enjoy it. Unfortunately our first dinner experience was nothing like the many brunches. We got a bottle of wine while we waited for our table. When we were seated, we waited for about 20 minutes for Nick, our server to come to the table or even be acknowledged by anyone. We ordered three things to share. The pickles, the ham tasting and the country rib. Nick let is know that we didn't order enough food. As I knew I wanted to try a couple of desserts, we knew it was plenty for us. Well, no pickles, no ham, but about 35 minutes later our rib arrived. Nick didn't seem to notice, so I asked it it seemed odd that we got the rib first. He said yes and magically appeared with the pickles.  We still never saw the ham. Finally, after sitting there for an good 15 mintures more, we  let Nick know he could scrap the ham and we'd take the check and let him turn the table. A nice manager came over to apologize. She bought the food that we did get, although we said multiple times that she didn't need to do that. She did however blame it on the craziness from the NRA show. Yes, that is why we are in town too. We know all about the food show. We are restaurant people too.  We know shit happens. Just really disappointed. Planned on buying a friend a gift certificate for letting us stay with her during part of our time in town but was so distracted by the time we left, total forgot. I'm sure we'll try it again for dinner, just not with Nick, the server.

    You can look at my previous reviews of The Publican to see that we really have loved all of the brunches we have had there.

    5.0 star rating
    1/4/2013 Previous review
    I don't know how anyone could say anything negative about the meal we just had.  My husband and I… Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    2/2/2014

    Delicious, always. I frequently visit Publican and always enjoy the food. Every dish is fantastic. I recommend coming with a few friends, or twenty--since it's all shared, the more people the better so you can try more dishes. While it's on the pricier side, it's still pretty reasonable for such good food. A must for visitors to Chicago and a staple for residents.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/20/2013

    Love this place, get treated like a playboy, food is amazing.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/14/2013

    Tasty beer and some fine pig. What more to ask for?

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/18/2011

    Wow, ok, more than 1000 reviews...probably can't say anything new so just gonna opine on the food (and yes, i just said "opine"...is part of my mission to bring back under-used words). Everything that was cooked was absolutely fantastic. Mussels came with a rich broth that was great to sop up with the crusty warm bread. I heard they were trying to make their chicken the best in the city, and I have to agree cuz it was unbelievably juicy and flavorful (and apparently from a farm in central Illinois, yay!-sorta near where i grew up but don't think i've ever had chicken this good down there!) Also fries were kick-ass! suckling pig with collard greens was our least favorite entree but still really good. oh, and the king crab salad was served deliciously warm and crabby!

    Ok, now on to the not so good. the ahi tuna appetizer was a ridiculously small portion served in a ridiculously large bowl. it was served with grapefruit, which none of us really liked, but if you like grapefruit it'd probably be different. then there's the "taste of three hams" plate...i mean, it was tasty, but it was $21 for something you could get at a place like Whole Foods, or any somewhat gourmet deli/market.
    Pork rinds...have heard others raving about them. they were fried up nice and crispy, but as the bf said "it's like they took cheetos powder, mixed it with lime flavor, and threw it on pork rinds". hehehe, well luckily the hostesses graciously treated us to the pork rinds before we had a chance to order them, so he couldn't complain too much.

    which brings me to the service, our waiter was really nice, gave great suggestions on food and drink...i prefer liquors to beer, and he brought me this vermouth-y, soda-y, aged in oak barrel-y drink that was a much needed change from rum and cokes and vodka sodas...i loved it!! the only weird thing was that at two separate times, he took drink orders from the 2 guys at our table, but sorta ignored me and my girl friend sitting next to me. once i can understand, but twice...just weird to me maybe? so we had to be more vocal about wanting more to drink. great now i sound like an alcoholic. well he made up for it, he comp'ed that delicious drink cuz he had forgotten that i had ordered it!

    obviously no one else needs me to tell them this a great place to go, but if you do, i'd recommend the hot/warm dishes, not the ham tastings, and that vermouth drink aged in oak barrels. and maybe have a guy and girl sit on the same side of the booth?

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/11/2011

    Nestled between warehouses and meat-packing plants, The Publican is casual eatery that serves seafood and pork - more importantly the pork.

    I firmly believe that pork, when done right, will trump beef, lamb, and any other red meat out there. The Publican does well in presenting an impressive resume for our swine-y friends (check out the paintings).

    The pork rinds goes great with a cold drink. Perfectly seasoned, the flavor of the pork is not overwhelmed by the cheese powder on top. The charcuterie plate displays a wide variety of pork "tapas", another excellent partner to the many beers and ciders on the menu. This was the highlight of my meal.

    The sweetbread is comparable, but perhaps not as good as the one at longman & eagle. Delicate and juicy, the sweetbread is a great representation of how good pork can taste. The Publican does this well.

    The vegetable that I had were the sunchokes, a curious vegetable that has a great texture. A root vegetable that resembles the looks of ginger, this vegetable completely defied my expectations and tasted great. The small bowl was just not enough. However, some of the pieces were not cooked through, and was still slightly raw.

    It was difficult giving this place a 3 star and not a 4, but one of the reasons was the price. It was a lot of money, for not a lot of food. When the headcheese arrived as a slice thinner than a penny, I was slightly disappointed.

    In all, still a good place that one should visit, and a great place to have great beer with good pork.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/25/2012

    Went here with friends for our pre-meal appetizers and drinks.  Beer selections was great and quite crafty.  

    Decor and seating was comfortable and very casual yet modern feeling.  Love the super large pig photos!

    Server was into his job and took the time to explain everything we asked about.  

    We had the Chartruise (spelled wrong) plate that included samples of a pork pie, salami, veal rillette, an epic sausage, head cheese, pickles, mustards etc.   It was really great......even the head cheese!  So meaty good.

    Oysters were tasty along with sauted fresh spring Ramps.  Both were light and refreshing reminding me spring is here.

    Ham sampler.......well ham all three types was great.  Sliced thin and melt in your mouth goodness.  It was easy to taste the differences in all three.  Disappointed in the small portion but quality of the ham wasnt' lacking.

    Prices and food quality are high but beers are surprisingly affordable and reasonably priced.  Portions are small but very rich.

    The best way to describe the food is peasant food turned elegant and attrative to the masses.  Completed with great cooking techniques  For me it was a way to explore what Bourdain calls the "Nasty Bits" that are often tasty and overlooked but Americans who are spoiled by our unending selections to prime cuts of meat.  

    It was enlightening for my palate to eat here.  

    I only wish I'd of tried more.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/12/2014

    Amazing meat!!  I shared the ribs and chicken with two friends.  Wonderfully marinated and spiced.  You can keep your bill under fifty if you dont order lots of small plates, share the large ones, and watch the drink prices.   I loved the open area fountain faucet between restrooms.  I'll be back

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/22/2012
    2 check-ins

    I was only at Publican for a couple drinks on a very late Saturday night. The drinks were great, and the service is excellent. My friend got a couple snacks and loooooved all of it! I will definitely try to go back for a proper meal.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/26/2012
    1 check-in

    Cauliflower gratin:kale, gruyere, truffle oil, breadcrumbs-- potted rillette:cherry raspberry preserves, sourdough, spicy pork rinds--scallops, jersey shore, chestnut puree, dates, meyer lemon-Pomegrante gremolata.  Ahhhh.  This place was divine!  Loved it.  The cauliflower gratin was my least favorite.  I did not taste the truffle at all.  I think the gruyere may have over powered it.  We also had a great dessert.  It was a homemade waffle with chocolate sauce- decadent-- with pistachios -- nice and salty and coffee icecream.  It was a nice topper to a great meal!  We went super early and had no problem getting a table.  Good service.  Love that they print new menus every day.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/3/2013

    We reserved a table here through Opentable and it was seamless. We were seated 10 minutes earlier than our reserved time. It was really loud in here at 1pm. I ordered the ham dish and it was phenomenal. It was covered in an egg, kale, grits, and it also came with a side of picked cauliflower. The flavors were spot-on and the portion was perfect. The bacon here is like 2 inches thick, and the spice cake was delicious too. I had a beermosa and it was good, and the french press was standard as well. Interesting concept, I felt like the space was a bit too weird - pub-like and crazy on one side and nice and almost fancy on another. The bathrooms were too dark - I couldn't see anything! But I thought the food was solid. Well worth it.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/10/2012

    My 2 friends and I arrived here on a Sunday morning at 10am with no reservation hoping to score a table at "one of the best brunches in the country." Publican did not disappoint.

    The decor is beautiful, and the communal tables add to the experience. Our waitress was helpful and friendly, surprising us with a delicious piece of coffee cake after we placed our order.

    HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MEAL: red wine poached eggs, publican bacon, asparagus omelette

    Everything was delectable, and I cannot wait to go back!

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/4/2013

    Publican was not at all what I imagined, despite the fact that I stalked their website & thought I had memorized their menu. I know it would be crowded, but I was supremely deflated when we were seated at the end of 30 foot long table just about in the laps of a very nice couple from California. While they were sweet and all, their conversation was the only one we heard...even over our own. This was for my hubby's birthday and he REALLLY wanted to eat there for ages, so we just decided to make the most of it and order some food...some damn good food!

    -Spicy Pork Rinds: Our only regret, as they were heavily coated in a powdery spice that flew everywhere and stuck to our lips when we bit into them.
    -Chicken Liver Pate w/sour cherries: DELICIOUS!
    -Asparagas w/Peeky Toe Crab mayo: OUTSTANDING!
    -Sirloin w/an anise flavored rub and dressed greens: YUMMY!
    -Suckling Pig on green pea puree with English peas: RIDICULOUS (in a good way)!
    -Chocolate Caramel Nut Torte w/Goat's Milk Ice Cream: SUBLIME!

    If you go, try and reserve a booth (to cut the sound). Also, we were very pleasantly surprised when our waitress took the pork rinds off the bill after my hub mentioned they weren't our fave. Good place-go forth and partake in all things meat!

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/6/2012

    Great ambience. I like the communal tables and the pig art on the walls.

    Braised pork shoulder is delicious. I'm not a quiche fan, but was impressed with theirs!

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/16/2010

    Wow. Fit for foodies.

    The vibe:

    The brick building's large windows give a glimpse into the dinning room where retro pendant lamps warmly light a horse shoe of wood communal tables, large pig images (a not so subtle hint of their specialty), and unpretentious but helpful servers. It feels like you're eating at the butcher's home if he had access to local farm goods and a whole bunch of semi-artsy successful friends. It's a bit loud but in a good way.

    To drink:

    Foundary dirty bastard beer: dark, semi-heavy with a chocolate aftertaste.

    The Czar: dark like the above but not aftertaste. To me, not as complex and therefore not as yummy.

    The wine list also is comprehensive.

    To eat:

    (served family style so it's easy to try everything)

    Corn: cream with delicious cream fresh and paprika. Each kernel exposed sweetness in your mouth.

    Beets with ricotta: the cheese! Sweetest ricotta I've ever had. The beets exceptional too.

    Suckling pig: I don't order pork ever and this was amazing. Served with kale, oranges and pine nuts this dish is a must. Crunchy but not greasy.

    Frits with two eggs: pipping hot fries with eggs, who ever thought of such a wonderful idea and why isn't this available everywhere?!

    Sausage (blanc?): mustard potatoes and cooked grapes. Probably the weakest of the lot but the standards are pretty high.

    Lavender apple crisp with almond ice cream: Wow. Crispy crumble and moist apple pieces. The ice cream has a thick creamy texture. Divine.  

    In sum, a beautiful meal.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/17/2011 Updated review

    "Who knew pork could be so precious???"

    This was a quote from my lukewarm first review of Publican.

    It's been two years since I dined here.

    There was nothing 'precious' about the meal last night. In fact, last night was downright X-Rated version of Porky's Revenge. It was a gluttonous glorious display of pork in all its fatty delicious goodness.

    Thanks to my wonderful dining companion Floyd E., the gf and I chowed down like King & Queen in one of the cool booths.

    We started with Charcuterie Plate:
    Ham Pie - Yummy
    Roulade with Pork Pate - Rich & Creamy
    Head Cheese - More Please
    Sausage - Me likes
    Salami - Yes Sir

    Paired with Saison Beer - Terrific & Perfect Complement

    bit.ly/PublicanCharcuter…

    Potee:

    Roast Pork Loin - Tender Lovin' with delicate flavor of shallots
    Sausage - Jimmy Dean wishes he could make this
    Pork Confit - Yep
    Veggies - Leeks and Brussels Sprouts bathed in pork fat

    Boudin (a.k.a. Blood Sausage)

    May have been one of the best interpretations I've ever had. The texture can be off-putting; not this version.

    Sweetbreads

    Crispy. Creamy center. Brightened with Tzatziki which really cut through the richness.

    Pork Rinds

    Signature snack was crunchy and yummy

    Porchetta

    At this point , I was so far beyond full. Yet, I enjoyed the crispy fatty skin and the nectarines that topped this thunderous portion of pork.

    Fries with Aoili

    Floyd proclaimed that these were 'the best fries'.

    He is right.

    Publican is right.

    I was wrong.

    Publican gave this Chinese pork loving chef a terrific experience.

    3.0 star rating
    12/13/2009 Previous review
    Who knew pork could be so precious???

    Publican wasn't quite the Pig Mecca I was expecting. You…
    Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    5/29/2013

    This place was pretty money. I'm a big Charcuterie guy so I was very happy with our appetizers. Food was well thought out and executed very well. Service was just how I like it, server had an opinion, knew the menu and food and gave great suggestions and didn't hover. When I go to Chicago, I make an effort to come here.

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/3/2013

    Been wanting to try this place for a long time and finally did.  The set up it odd and with seven of us it was a little unusual at a long communal table with other people. Food was pretty good but not outstanding although the oysters were great. Might try going again for brunch maybe being Easter it was an off night.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/29/2013
    1 check-in

    The food here sings!!! Any main ingredient featured is not covered up with unecessary flavors. It just enhances it!

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 4.0 star rating
    4/2/2012

    Had a lovely brunch here this past Saturday. Ordered the turkey schnitzel & waffles, chorizo flatbread and of course the maple bacon. Our server seemed a little distracted but everything was presented beautifully. The turkey & waffle was outstanding. Unsure how I could return for a Saturday morning and not order it again.  Big fan of their exclusive teas. I'm excited to return for the dinner menu and Sunday brunch menus another time.

    Also - what a great space! I imagine it is even better at night.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/8/2010

    Easily some of the best food I've had in Chicago. Everything was great, from the beer, to the service, to all the beautiful pork. In no particular order, here are some of the tasty items I devoured and recommend:

    oysters
    spicy pork rinds
    sweetbreads
    pork belly
    beets
    farm chicken
    pickles
    frites with egg
    waffles

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/27/2012

    The Publican was EXTREMELY accomodating!  Originally, I had booked a table for two, but slowly, our party grew to 8, then 9.  Each time they had no problem making the change and accomodating us (mind you it was a Tuesday night that we were going!).  So already I loved them.  It was a birthday we were there for, so I had brought cupcakes, but not knowing if they'd be ok with us bringing our own dessert I had them all individually boxed.  The hostess saw them and asked me if I'd like her to have our waiter bring them out later with a candle in one for the birthday boy.  I thought this was extremely nice of them.  

    The meal was wonderful!  I think my favorite would be the pork belly, but everything we ordered was phenomenal.  Mussels, Porchetta (definitely some of the group's favorite), Duck breast, Turnips, and Beets stand out in my mind from last night's dinner.  

    Our waiter was great! He gave wonderful recommendations not only on food, but wine and beer.  He chose a sauvignon blanc for me that was wonderful.  I later asked him what it was because I liked it so much and he wrote it down for me.

    The staff brought out individually plated cupcakes after our meal with a candle lit in the birthday boy's cupcake.  And they didn't charge us anything extra for bringing our own desserts and for the plates and forks they had to then clean because of the cupcakes.  I was super impressed.

    To top off the night, we had 6 credit cards and the waiter had no issues running each with the amount we wanted to put on each.

    AMAZING AMAZING service.  Great food and drink! You have to try this place!

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/12/2010

    Wow.  One of the best meals we've had in Chicago in awhile.

    The peasant-type bread was excellent.

    The pork rinds are spicy. The three types of ham platter was great.  

    Pickles? Wow--who pickles strawberries?  They were great! So were the bread and butter pickles and asparagus.

    The radishes were amazing. Nice and mild, served on a vast plop of butter with sea salt.

    The hubby ordered the pork shoulder marinated in sherry with snap peas.  Initially, he planned to bring one chop home--but he didn't :)

    I had the fried clams and cauliflower. The clams were great but what made the dish special were the greens.  It was onion and celery in a delightful fresh marinate. It made a perfect accompaniment to the clams.

    We were stuffed at this point, but we had heard about the waffle.  Yikes a $7 waffle, but what a waffle.  Light and airy with a great flavor with a slightly crispy exterior.  Honey and butter.  Hubby hates rhubarb so I got the whole compote to myself :)

    Did anyone mention they have a zillion beers to choose from?

    This place is seriously good.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/2/2010

    Good food! We went on a Sunday night and had their Sunday dinner special.  

    We started with a ham platter, and also got the prix fixe menu.
    Menu was delicious - an excellent soup, fish, meat & dessert.  Only complaint would have been that the prix fixe menu that night did not have pork... so we made sure to order the appetizer dish.

    Food was excellent; we savored every moment of it.  Very well thought out and put together.  

    Excellent beers too!

    Atmosphere: rustic chic.  It was a little slow on Sunday, so we got seated in one of the "stables."  When I was sitting, I could just barely see over the top of the booth to look around at the rest of the restaurant.  It felt a bit isolating, but I can equally see this being cozy & intimate when the restaurant is bustling.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/16/2011
    1 check-in

    Over 1K reviews for this place. Yelpers you never steer me wrong.

    Everything was awesome about this place: waitress, awesome. Food, amazing, seats even better and the bestest (We sat watching the kitchen in action and it was great. We loved it), the snoop dogg cd playing in the background.

    Every single thing we ordered, was awesome. Especially the Suckling Pig. wow. The pork rinds. amazing. The beer selection, stellar. What can I say I am smitten with you Publican.

    The saddest part, that I gotta get on a plane to come here.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/26/2011
    1 check-in

    day-after-Thanksgiving-dinner

    Table for 6, around 9pm on a Friday night. We had a reservation and were seated almost immediately. Service was good, although it took him a while to take our drink orders. We ordered our food first and asked for another minute to review the drink list, but ended up waiting for close to 15 minutes. I also felt like the food came out too fast and in quick succession. We were constantly eating with barely any down time in between plates, so it wasn't as leisurely as I would have liked it to be. But can't complain too much about fast service, I suppose...

    acorn squash - with maple butter, pumpkin seeds, and crispy sage. Tasty, but small. The seeds elevated this dish which was dangerously close to being plain.

    scallops - parsnip puree, pomegranate, and truffled peach olives.

    tuscan fish stew - mussels, clams, shrimp, kale, tomatoes and garlic bread. Hearty, flavorful. The soggy bread almost outdid the fish (...or maybe it did)

    dover sole - sweet potatoes, caperberries, fried shallots, and brown butter. Most interesting fish preparation I've had in a while. Normally a whole fish is simply prepared with lemon and herbs (which I adore), so it was a nice change to have less ordinary garnishes and strong flavors supporting the sole. Fantastic dish.

    potee - pork tenderloin, toulouse sausage, turkey leg, horseradish aioli.

    pork belly -  black beans, celery root, cucumbers, and queso fresco. Loved the preparation of the pork belly with extra crispy skin. Another dish with interesting supporting flavors.

    Overall I found everything to be delicious. The seasoning was on the verge of being too salty, but didn't cross over the line. The space was great for a group of our size, but the plates were often difficult to split because portions were oftentimes small. I found myself wanting more than my share at times BUT this type of setup allowed for the opportunity to sample many different dishes.... so it comes with the territory.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/26/2013

    I went here for my birthday last night. I had previously watched the Anthony Bourdain episode where he went to The Publican. OH-MY-GOD.
    I started out with the charcuterie. The meat was incredible and the pickled cauliflower and onions were really unique and delicious. I had the halibut with smoked salmon roe after. WOW. I have never tasted anything so fresh! The lemon and pepper on it was perfect. My mouth is watering just writing about it.  After that I had the full pot of mussels. Holy moly, they were fresh as well! The sauce wasn't so overpowering that you couldn't taste the mussels. It was just right. I have no idea how they made it so that you could taste the buttery, garlicky sauce but maintain the freshness and oceany taste of the mussels. Unbelievably tasty! It was served with the freshest bread to dip in. I ordered the amazing Intelligentsia french press afterwards and had the chocolate creme puff for desert, also amazing.
    I would sit here and eat all day if I could.
    The staff was very friendly and super attentive. They are practically over staffed, there is so much help! It's awesome. I can't remember our servers name but he was awesome and great at his job.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/11/2010

    PubliCAAANNN!!!

    Oh yes you can!!

    Went here for brunch after reading good reviews about it and after a very strong recommendation from our hotel concierge. Upon arrival, and by first looks, it reminded me of NYC's meatpacking district before it became the "IT" place to be, when restaurants and shops first started opening there and the seediness of it started fading. It was large, open, trendy, cool and fun. The decor (I was told) was modeled after a Bavarian? (not so sure on that) old-school beer hall. The tables were long and communal (in the center), w/ the expanse of the tables wrapping around the corners of the restaurants and high back chairs as the seat. Along one wall had these super cool booths w/ doors that closed, reminding me of a freight train that was about to pull off.

    As for the brunch menu, it was definitely different from the norm. The dishes ranged from fried french toast to sausages and a pretzel to a red wine poached egg. We opted for the sausages and pretzel. It was strange and way different from our normal breakfast, but since nothing on the menu looked "normal", we figured we'd just go along for the ride. (Word of caution though, the sausages or "weiswurst" was served in a silver pot filled w/ hot water. At first look, it was alarmingly simple and somewhat unappetizing. Don't let that offput you.) As for the drinks, we were told that it was customary in Chicago to get a beer w/ your Bloody Mary for brunch. The boyfriend and I both thought that was weird but hey... so is a sausage and pretzel for brunch. That said, he decided to try it while I had their $6 french pressed coffee. Both were yummy.

    Overall verdict, definitely worth another visit and so happy we went there. Next time, though, we'll have to try dinner. :)

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/20/2013
    1 check-in

    I would not go back, these guys have lost there way.  They put on Menue that they are 100% cicerone beer server certified.  Why that was good and the reason I went, everyone I had contact couldn't tell you anything about the beer, even there own.

    Food is good, but they have lost here way here too.  Cook vs Chef.  Chef pricing and cook quality.

    Beer list is really lacking vs what else is going on in Chicago.  Boring.  read online vs asking your server.

    if you are leaking time and money this is a good place to go.  Average

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/17/2012

    Eight of us went to brunch at the Publican on Mother's Day.  Everyone raved about how great their food was...definitely the best brunch I've had in Chicago.

    I ordered the maple-glazed pork shoulder served over grits with a sunny side up egg on top.  The flavors were incredible!  The pork was tender, juicy and pulled apart easily with my fork.  The grits were creamy, flavorful and the egg yolk oozing over everything was just spectacular.  My hubby and I split an order of hash browns and they were perfectly seasoned and really crispy...just the way I like them.  I ordered the Publican Mimosa and it quite possibly was the best mimosa I have ever had.  I don't like sweet champagne and this was served with some sort of a Belgian Ale (almost like a Blue Moon, but way better).

    My mom ordered the red wine poached eggs served with proscuitto and bernaise sauce.  The eggs are actually purple...it was pretty trippy.  I tasted a few bites of her food and the eggs were amazing.  The wine flavor was not overwhelming at all...I would probably order this dish if it was still on the menu the next time I returned.

    Two people ordered the omelette and said it was the lightest, fluffiest, freshest omelette they had ever had.  Two other people ordered the waffles and both of them devoured their dishes in just a few minutes so they must have been good.  The last 2 people ordered the salmon lox served over a bagel with meyer lemon vinegairette.  I had a bite of this and it was also incredible.  

    If you like sweets, you must order the sticky bun...oh, and the maple bacon is to die for.  This place is the BEST!

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/14/2011

    Went this Saturday for dinner...

    Made reservations the same night. Surprised we were able to get a table.  Wondered if the place was any good considering my reservation was made on the same night.  Hmmmmm.   It was totally worth it.  Everything was great!

    Ordered:
    *several oysters a la carte - they were excellent! you know what they say about oysters - aphrodisiac for shizzle.
    *half of chicken - huge portion, it was just okay, I make a better one, just saying.  The fries with it were excellent though.  Don't eat the sausage that comes with it. It was tough and gross (maybe it was there for color/presentation?)
    *kale - soooooooooooooooooooooo good!
    *b sprouts - cold salad like mix, very tasty
    *scallops - very good, buttery and yummy
    *mandarin sorbet - light, refreshing and very mandarin in flavor.
    I had wine, a great pinot noir.  $12 a glass, can't remember the name... very good with my dinner!

    Crowd was big, bar was weird, staff excellent. Antonio was our waiter.  Hotness!

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/11/2011

    Everything is very well done, from the food to the decor to the drinks to the fact that tables of four get to eat in little faux pens fenced off from the rest of the dining room.

    While the dining room itself is quite impressive, the attraction is obviously the food.  What I was most impressed with:

    -Hamachi crudo: I will admit that I did not notice the "chocolate persimmon" that i now see on the online menu as a part of this dish.  Nevertheless this was a beautiful piece of rich tuna, enveloped in a crisp citrusy glow with the freshness of cilantro on the tail end of your bite.  This dish is a huge winner

    -Scallops: An absurdly novel concept; they sear scallops and serve them with some pickled carrots and onions, on a cumin-spiced hummus.  The three components go together very nicely, with the sour vinegary crunch of the vegetables playing off the creamy chickpeas surprisingly well.

    -Brussels sprouts: I'm not sure how they cook these, but they shred them and dress them with a lemon vinaigrette and toss them with parmesan and other vegetables before serving them on top of a nice rich piece of burrata.  I am confident I would not have recognized the brussels sprouts in this dish if I didn't know what I had ordered.

    We also enjoyed a broccoli dish with quinoa, a sampler of oysters, and a beautiful fatty piece of pork belly.  If there was one miss at our table, it was, disappointingly the aged ham served with goat butter.  We had the quercia rossa ham (the mildest of the three, basically a fattier prosciutto), and while it was delicious (and the goat butter absurdly rich and creamy), I found the peasant bread it was served with to be a clunky accompaniment that was too thick to really enjoy a single piece of ham on.  Thinner pieces of toasted bread would be an easier pair.

    Still, they do pork and seafood equally well here, and I can't wait to come back for a more expansive taste of the menu.

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/5/2012

    We went there for NYE and it was fun, yes, but it was not anything that blew my mind.  I know that the experience of visiting for NYE with a group is very different than going with friends for a normal meal and I get that, but I guess it just didn't live up to the hype for me.  Was it a good meal?  Yes, but it wasn't so amazing that I wouldn't bat an eye to throw down lots of cash to do it often.  Was the service good?  Yeah, it was fine.  Was the decor cool?  Yeah, it was but so are so many other places in Chicago.  I know we'll go back here again at some point and my impression may be completely different, but for now it's fine but not on the top of my list.  Sowwy!!

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/26/2010

    *Disclaimer- if you have as much personality as the beautiful couple in the American Gothic painting, maybe not the place for you.

    If you're well liked by others- this is the place for you.

    Ahhh the Publican, how the meat packing district defines your genuine stench.  Tucked away in the Chicago meat packing district, this gem is definitely a defining dining experience.

    #1. Its crowded. This place was jam-packed on a Tuesday night. Must be doing something right.

    #2. Ambiance. This restaurant gets noisy, real noisy.  No real partitions or walls in this "barn".  I dont mind the noise.  Its food I want.

    #3. Family style seating, family style food.  The one hallmark of good restaurants is the harmony of contributing elements to the total experience.  Carpet matches the drapes per se- relaxed dress, wait staff has creme colored butchers apron-esque uniforms (brilliant), fun seating arrangements.

    #4. Food. Good. Not mind blowing, but served piping hot.  I dont remember the last time I almost burned my mouth on a french fry- that almost happened here.  The pork rinds? To die for. I could eat these all day.  Wonder if triple bypass is on the menu as well.

    Ribs- fantastic, juicy, mesquite flavor, grill marks! (a must for bbqed foods- unless theyre fake like those pork patties you got in elementary school for lunch or the McRib).

    Lamb Saddle- small portion, nice rare medallions of lamb, cute little bit of fat.  Salty, but complimented well by the peas and mash.  Delicious, but I wish I had more.

    Whole Chicken (w/fries)- My my, this dish was fantastic.  Very juicy, STEAMLINES (you cant fake steamlines), seasoned well, perfectly cooked.  Delicious, good portion, fries soak up all the cooking juices from the chicken, beautiful.

    Overall a good experience with good food.

    Will definitely come back.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/2/2012

    Outstanding food! Love the decor and the variety of food!

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/8/2012

    Sat family style with a bunch of strangers. It was the 1st time I ever did so it was a new experience but based on other restaurants it was also the trend.

    Ordered the pork rinds, which were featured on "the best thing I ever ate". Enjoyed them. But they tasted just as good as the pork rinds off the elotes carts in Albany park.

    Ordered some oysters. Chose them based on the cool exotic names they had but because I get squimish thinking about a slimy raw just killed animal grazing my throat I couldn't palate them enough to taste the difference.

    We also ordered a few things from the charcuterie but I don't remember them well  I'm not a connoisseur of cured meats.  Ordered a larger chicken dish and also a beef dish.  Both were great but I can't remember the details about them.

    They have a great selection of wines and beers. The hubs has a liking for lighter ales and wheats. He enjoyed a couple glasses.

    We'd go back again and maybe with some friends and I'll play more attention to the food next time... promise

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/29/2011

    Loved this place. Went on a Tuesday evening at 9 pm with a reservation. It was packed. We sat at one of the long tables, packed tightly with about 30 other people we didn't know. It was loud and fun. I loved the atmosphere, but I would understand if people were not comfortable sitting that closely to people you don't know.  I wore nice jeans and a shirt and felt fine in there.

    Beer list is phenomenal. For each dish, I asked our server to bring me "something good". He didn't disappoint.

    The food come in small plates. And it is very good. We went with west coast oysters, smoked ham, collared greens, scallops and chicken.  Lovely.

    Will definitely return on several occasions.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/12/2012
    11 check-ins

    Okay, this is probably my favorite spot in Chicago.  As a beer aficionado and someone who appreciates new and different foods, Publican is a dream for me.  

    They have an amazing beer list, and the ever-changing array of small plates is fantastic.  The ambiance is also great; it's like a modern take on a German Bier Hall.

    Among my favorites are the charcuterie plate, the ham selection, oysters, skate, sweetbreads, and virtually anything with pork (apropos considering the pig artwork adorning the walls).  

    It doesn't get better than this in my world.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/30/2013

    Went there for our anniversary. Everything was amazing!!!!

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/30/2012

    LOVE The Publican! The ambiance here is wonderful - rustic meets chic, and their food is heavenly. Their brunch menu is TO DIE FOR. Definitely bring out of town guests here for a brunch they won't forget - be sure to get a side of the maple-smoked bacon (it's an inch thick!) and the sticky buns. Their bloody marys are amazing as well, coming with a side of beer (totally perfect for a Sunday morning). I had the red wine poached eggs, which were so pretty I almost (almost!) didn't want to ruin their gorgeous purple color.

    Dinner here is delish as well, served family style so come prepared to share. The pork belly was good; I think next time I would try some of the oysters because they looked divine. Noise level was a bit much at night but I think it was just because we had a rowdy group sharing our table.

    Reservations FAR in advance are a must for this place. We've gotten lucky with an hour-wait walk in before, but I wouldn't recommend it. Enjoy!

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/4/2011

    I love the Publican.

    I love the food. I love the beer. I love the staff.

    Everyone who works here is awesome. By awesome I mean, the
    you-are-now-on-my-list-of-people-I -bring-fresh-baked-cookies-to-
    during-the-holidays-because-i-love-you, awesome.

    The menu is always changing. If you talk to your server
    and tell them what you're interested in, they'll steer you
    in the right direction. This way you can try some new stuff,
    and order what looks good to you right then.

    Delicious pork. Some of the best oysters I've had in Chicago.
    A kick ass beer menu (it's seamless with the food menu- some
    really interesting and tasty options).

    Even the bathrooms here rule. Yeah, it may sound funny.
    But honestly, nobody wants to feel like they're walking into
    their high school gym locker room in between beers.
    Am I right? It's nice. And the soap smells better than any
    other soap in the world. True story.

    I have never left here unhappy.
    And I'm pretty damn sure I never will.

    ...did I say I love this place?

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/29/2013

    Cool vibe, good food, and great beer. I only wish they had a bigger bar.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/31/2012
    1 check-in

    Probably one of my favorite brunch experiences anywhere.  My fiancé and I walked from our hotel to this place for our 10am brunch reservation.  There were a few taxis already here before open.  Clearly, this place is a destination for lovers of brunch.

    I really liked the setup and the vibe.  Typically I don't like other tables next to me when I am eating but the communal seating is unique and people of all ages really seemed to be enjoying themselves.  The service is very attentive with the staff prowling around the communal table and surveying for diners who need attention.  I had the schnitzel.  My fiancé had the carbonara.  We also had a side of very thick cut bacon.  All were very satisfying.  Also, I rarely drink coffee but I really liked the coffee here (Intelligencia) and drank 3 cups (black).  I was good to go for the rest of the day.  

    We hope to return soon.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/24/2013

    for brunch, you can make a meal out of the following 2 sides:  bacon and pecan cinnabon.  They are both awesome, particularly the thick-a*s maple bacon carvings.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/7/2014

    Went to many restaurants in Chicago during my trip but this was the best of the best.  100 beers on tap and all unique and different tastes.  Our server Kail walked us through the whole menu and all the food was delicious.  Fish Ribs were a standout bu the Ham in Hay and the Pork Rinds were also stand outs.  Finished the meal with a bottle of Monk Stout was a great dessert.  HUGE RECOMMENDATION!

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/2/2013

    Nice decor, good food, good beers. From oysters to trio of ham everything's was great. But the spicy pork rinds were kinda a bust. Only flavor was the spice.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/29/2013

    We went for Sunday brunch with a reservation, and overall the experience was awesome.  The drinks were really good, and the bacon was simply the best thing I've had in a long time.  I just wish there were more meat options on the brunch menu.  Even the Cubano sandwich I had which listed 3-4 different kinds of meat, really didn't have a lot on it.   Great flavor and quality meat but I was just expecting more of it.  Still I'd definitely go back again, but maybe for dinner this time.

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/19/2011

    Would love to return there.

    Easy to find location. Valet was $8.

    Very attentive service! Waiter kept coming back to check on us and another guy kept refilling our water even though the water canteen was on our table (I love when restaurants give us our own because I drink a lot of water!). At the same time we felt pressured to order everything quick and leave.

    Started off with dozen of chef's selection oysters. I liked the French Kiss the best; hubby liked the Wellfleet the best. For me it just has to not taste fishy at all so others were fishy to me. I like oysters with Tobasco and Horseradish; but I had to ask but I had not asked for horseradish because I thought that was what the included little sauce dish was but it wasn't oh well. It tasted sour and there was a  kinda garlic texture ingredient in there. We liked the crackers that came with too; It's a great contrasting taste, cleans your palate. We also got the half order charcuterie plate. My hubby wished we got the full order. He enjoyed the sausage, headcheese, and the yellow mustardy sauce. I liked the headcheese a lot. It was seasoned very well. We both put on top of bread!

    Next we ordered the Pork Belly and the Serrano Ham. Serrano ham was like prosciutto but smoother and fluffier; very good on goat buttered bread that came with. Melts in your mouth: says the hubs. Oh the pork belly... It was mouthwatering, melt in your mouth, oh so AWESOME! Wow I just ate fat basically with some crisp and lots of flavor! Nah there was meat too which was very tender. Yum.

    Then we decide to order the country ribs then head out. The waiter warned us it's more like a porkchop but we were okay with that. This was very good as well. It was sweet and sour. I wished there was a little bit more kick to it like spice then it would have been perfect. I really liked the peanuts in there the best out of all the garnish that was on top. I didn't like the dragon tongue beans but hubs did. The meat itself was so fatty again but just melts in your mouth again. Wow. We could have ate more but that was actually the full order size (has 2 porkchop size ribs).

    A con: portions are small in our books. Could have ate more even after $140 bill w/o tip and quantity of dishes we ordered.

    About the restaurant itself, the bathrooms are very clean (A+) and looks new. Communal sink on the outside of the bathroom stalls that you share with the men. Communal seating, bar tables where you stand, enclosed seating like pig stalls, and two sestet tables all available at this place.

    Atmosphere felt kind of weird because staff other than the hostesses were not dressed in the usual waiter/bus boy clothes. That threw me off a bit like I'm not going to a restaurant feel.

    One more con: very loud in here!

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/29/2011 Updated review

    It's really hard to say one restaurant in Chicago is your absolute favorite but I would be hard pressed to find somewhere I love more than the Publican at this moment.

    We went last night and had quite the feast...
    - Trio of ham: Good start, very thinly sliced, serrano was the favorite
    - Pork rinds: super crispy and crackly
    - Oysters: I forget which kind they were, I think Island Creek, but our server described them as magical and they kind of were
    - Potted Rillettes: pork cooked in it's own fat until it's spreadable, according to the waitress.  we asked for a bathtub of it and she suggested a wheelbarrow, it would still cover the important parts.  Seriously the most awesome server in all of the land.

    So that was all just appetizers...then we got "real" food to share.
    - Veal Brains: Never would have ordered this myself but so good.  Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside, kind of like crab rangoon but a million times better.
    - Rabbit Tortellini: Um, yes.  A hundred times yes.
    - Cassoulet: So rich and flavorful and now I only want that when I am home sick during the winter.
    - Suckling pig: Really tender and just good.
    - Sweetbreads: By far my favorite dish of the night, caramely on the ouside, soft on the inside.  Just get over your pickiness and order, everyone at our table loved them.

    Vegetables:
    - Radishes: skip these, nothing special
    - Sweet Potatoes: awesome
    - Cauliflower Gratin: Can we have this as the side at every meal from now on?  SO FREAKING GOOD.

    Dessert:
    - Lemon Meringue Pie... with CHOCOLATE!  Why does no one else do this?
    - Waffle: I don't know what they put in this waffle but probably it's crack.
    - Limoncello: It's creamy!  Surprise!  And so good.

    And with that we rolled our fat asses out of there and down the block to the Blackhawks game.  Best dinner and best waitress.  Oh and the beer and wine were still amazing.  You really just need to go here.

    5.0 star rating
    7/12/2010 Previous review
    I would put this in my top 5 dinners of all time.  It probably helped that our group was awesome and… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    9/10/2011

    The specialties here is obvious with the pig stall booth, and the pigs on the logo.  I like how they include a little description (creamy, firm, salty..., etc) under each oyster on the menu.  It helps me make my decision since I don't always memorize the name.  We ordered the Gold Creek, Island Creek, and Imperial Eagle oysters.  They were all fresh and tasty.

    The chareuterie plate and cucussu were both quite good.  Cucussu consists of a variety of meats with beef tongue, pork, and sausages.  A true meat lover delight.  The pork belly was on a different level.  Simply the best pork belly I ever ate.  You just have to take my word and get it.  The signature starter here is the pork rind.  Almost everyone ordered it, but I am not a big fan of fried pork skin.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/2/2009

    Husband & I made a point of getting a reservation while visiting Chicago over Thanksgiving weekend from the Bay Area.
    Since we visited on Sunday, we had the set-menu Sunday Dinner, which at $45/person, was priced pretty accurately, even if the portions were on the small side. It's a bit misleading in that each dish that was brought to us (minus the dessert) was served in a shared for-2 fashion, instead of separate dishes for each person. Might have been more accurate to price it as $90 dinner-for-2.

    Anyway, on to the dishes themselves:
    baby greens salad - It was the first menu item we'd seen in Chicago that even had avocado, so that was noteworthy. It also had grapefruit supremes, and a tasty dressing. (Husband is allergic to grapefruit, so they brought that out in a separate small bowl) This was good, but I had to refer to the iPhone photo that I took of the menu to remember what was in this salad, and the meal wasn't even a week ago.

    loup de mer - This was some type of small fish served whole, we weren't sure what kind. Perfectly roasted, super tender and juicy, but lots of small pinbones.

    choueroute: basically a big pan full of porky goodness. smoked pork chop (OMG tender and delicious), pork belly (a little more fatty than necessary, but also tasty, but WAY too small a portion for 2 people) & knackwurst on sauerkraut. I'm not a big sauerkraut fan, but it was pretty mild and enjoyable. The knackwurst was also smoky and delicious.

    apple tarte tatin: Again, tiny portion, and the pastry was much closer to a puff pastry texture than a tarte. Only 3 thin slices of (very tart, yay!) apple on top. The kicker with this was that it was topped with a vanilla ice cream studded with whole mustard seeds. WOW. It took us a minute to figure out where they'd hidden the mustard, but that flavor really enhanced the dessert.  I also had a (very small) glass of an ice cider with dessert, which was delicious and didn't taste nearly as strong as it was. This was also served in a very boring small juice-glass type of vessel that reminded me of my college cafeteria's glassware, so that was odd.

    Vibe:
    Service was great, very attentive to refilling your water and such, but really, could they put some lemon in the glass if they're going to serve tap water? No offense, but Chicago tap water just doesn't taste that good by itself.

    But... the whole vibe of the place was a bit precious.  [And look, we've eaten at just about every gastro-pubby eatery on the west coast, so what does this tell you?]  
    What's with the double doors on the booths? It's not like they afford any real privacy, since they're so low...yet they're just high enough that the waitstaff has to keep opening them to reach over to clear plates and deliver dishes, so they're just kinda silly.
    The whole place seemed to be trying to straddle a line between upscale/sustainable/artisanal and salt-of-the-earth-workingman's cafe (which would match the neighborhood), and not doing either one especially well.  

    The much-vaunted beer list was, disappointingly, mostly comprised of imports rather than regional micros.  I really wanted to be bowled over by the Publican, but I just wasn't.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/25/2011

    I got a little worried after reading the most recent reviews.  But they all seemed to complain about the service and somewhat about the food.  Well, I thought they were all a bit off.  I had a great meal last night, and living near a hipster neighborhood in Brooklyn, the service was no different than I get back home, so I was accustomed to the blaze attitude.  

    But it really was the food that shined as the star here.  The wife and I started with the yellow-tail crudo which was light and refreshing.  Following this was the delicious soft shell crab with a tomato cucumber salad.  Then came the fig salad with burrata, so tasty.  The dishes progressively got better, until....the Ham Chop...it was Legen....wait for it...dary!  This thing was one of the most amazing combinations of ham, sauce, peaches and pecans ever created.  

    The beverage program is focused heavily on beer.  I grabbed a draught selection of a summery pale ale and the wife had a belgiuan wheat.  

    It is definitely worth the trip for the food.  Another notable dish seen on many other tables was the chicken and fries.  Looked yummy.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/5/2012

    The Publican is a true brunch destination, serving up inventive and comforting food in a lively and bright space. I am totally digging all the restaurants and bars in the Fulton Market area; just like Girl & the Goat and Au Cheval nearby, this place seriously oozes coolness.

    The bf and I met up for brunch here on Sunday with our good friend Billy Y. from home, who so happened to also be in Chicago over Labor Day weekend for work. I had originally made a reservation for two, but the hostess was kind enough to let us add another person to the party last minute as the restaurant wasn't too packed yet at 10:30am. It was a smart decision to come here with a reservation, because the giant space filled up unbelievably quickly and a huge crowd littered the area outside the entrance by the time we headed out a little past noon.

    The brunch menu here was so promising that I actually had an incredibly difficult time ordering. I ended up going with the red wine poached eggs, sourdough and bernaise, served with la quercia prosciutto and a lightly dressed baby arugula salad. The riff on a mundane eggs benedict was something special, and the slight acidity from the red wine actually worked and made the dish surprisingly light. The bf ordered the pork belly bibimbap with kimchi, brown rice and a fried egg which he really seemed to enjoy. Our friend went the sweet route with the beautiful looking waffles with an apple-plum jam and honey butter that totally made me green with envy. I only wish that I could have stolen a bite from his plate, if only he didn't possess such a big appetite. To accompany our entrees, we also ordered the obligatory maple braised publican bacon, hashbrowns, and sausage on the side. The thick slabs of bacon were certainly everything everyone makes them out to be - buttery, sweet and salty - a perfect symphony of flavors.

    Besides the great food, I also really dig The Publican for their emphasis on craft beers and unique brunch cocktails. Bloody marys here are not your average run of the mill stuff made with some store bought mix, but tangy and pungent with grated horseradish and a ton of pickled veggie garnishes. Now the kicker on those badboys is the beer served alongside the bloody marys, and my Zombie Dust was perfectly hoppy and bright. Who would've thought that beer would go so well with a bloody mary! The bf's publican mimosa, made with a Belgium Blanche and freshly squeezed OJ was great as well, a little "manlier" than the average mimosa I suppose.

    The Publican really represents what I've come to love about the Chicago food scene; the casual yet totally exciting cuisine in a genuinely fun, unpretentious environment is something NYC still lacks. The Publican was a much needed breath of fresh air for me, and probably tops the majority of my extensive brunch experiences in NYC at this point.

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/8/2010
    1 check-in

    Publican hearts pigs (particularly devouring them!).

    I am pescatarian (abstain from all meat , except fish). You can get away with that in this pig loving establishment but i would not recommend you come here if you are full fledged vegetarian.

    I took my boyfriend here at his request for his bday (figures, he the meat-eater) on Friday evening. The setup of the restaurant is superb, a central stand-up lounge area encased by a large communal square table for dining. To the side wall is one row of 'pig stalls' that seat about 4 people and that open up to get in and out of.

    They have an extensive and impressive beer list, particularly of the German variety. We started with pickled vegetables, oysters, mussels, and the boy had pork rinds. All were A+ - the mussels were these huge fat things that came in what looked like a medium sized wok.

    The boy had a salad with pig ears in it and the Sweetbreads entree - some sort of gland of the pig whose name seems misappropriated. He was all about the Sweetbreads. I had the Halibut entree which was well-prepared and good, but not outstanding.

    We were running on a schedule but this is the type of place that requires time for their dining experience. I should have allotted 3 hours instead of 2. The server was very accommodating with our time constraints and perhaps because of that did not acknowledge that a birthday was being celebrated (was explicitly told when making the reservation).

    All in all, not a place I would choose of my own volition, but my meat-eating companion definitely seemed to like it.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/15/2011
    Listed in Near West

    UGH. AMAZING.

    everything about this place and my dining experience was fucking spectacular (besides the condescension the waitress showed to my visiting small-town mother. how rather disappointing that an employee succumbs to her elitist snobbery.)
    but what's not to love? open, clean, spacious dining room. the farm-to-table green ethos. the wine/beer list. the ever-changing menu. shut itttt.

    squid - tasty enough but it lacked a memorable note.
    farm chicken (half) - holy proportions! summer sausage was great.
    sablefish - OH MY GOD. SO GOOD IN MY MOUTH. the beets! the egg! NNNGH

    the thing that stood out the most for me: the homemade LAMBIC. i could and should have drank this all day.

    i definitely want to come here once a month.

  • 2.0 star rating
    1/20/2014

    Let me first say that I debated back and forth on if I wanted to rate this a 2 or 3 star. Ideally, I'd like to select a 2.5.
    Perhaps this was a situation in which the hype did more of a disservice. That said, I've dined at spots with just as much or more hype that still lived up to - or exceeded - expectations.
    As mentioned, I had heard rave reviews for a couple of years. So, I was so excited a few weeks back to head down there for a brunch. We stepped in and had quite a bit of a wait. However, I expected that and wasn't upset at all.
    Once finally seated, it was at the far corner of a communal table. I don't mind this set-up - but, it was less than ideal to my dining companion. It was quite loud in there and conversation was difficult. Again, this bothered my dining companion more than me. But, it was difficult at times.
    Then there was the ordering experience. We were debating over the menu - only briefly - when the waitress approached and asked I'd we knew what we wanted. When we said we'd need just a moment, she said she really needed to get our order in because the kitchen would close soon. It would've been nice to know this up front when we were waiting - or, as we were seated. Service was less than friendly throughout the meal.
    The food was good. However, it wasn't anything that was amazing.
    I really wanted to love this place. However, It came in less than what I expected on several counts. Maybe dinner is better? For some reason, I just didn't "get it" when it came to this place.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/7/2011
    1 check-in

    The best oysters EVAH.  

    The most sour-puss waiter ever. He was just too cool for school- please remember you are in the SERVICE industry not  " I work in the hipster- scene therefore-I-can have a crap demeanor while YOU pay for me to serve you and give me a nice tip because Paul Kahan is cool"- that is not how we roll in Chi. Just ask Grant Achatz.

    Happy Eating!
    "Primetime"

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/2/2009

    Fanflippintabulous!! Your new word for the day. Put it to good use.

    Paul Kahan, will you marry me? No, really... will you? Consider this... You. Me. Feeding each other oysters. Munching on pork rinds. Pouring that fabulous Barley wine on one another. And then sexing all night in one of those naughty playpen booths of yours... Too graphic? So I've been told. Just make me another round of Serrano Ham & Goat Butter then, I'm yours.

    I've heard split reviews on The Publican and I'm not sure why... this was easily one of the most fun, adventurous and tasty experiences I've had with Chicago cuisine this year thus far. Granted, I can see how sweetbreads, blood sausage and beef heart may not be your thang... but even the more simple dishes like farm chicken with summer sausage or pork country ribs with polenta bring enough pizazz to the show to impress even the most down home of palates.

    Décor is fun and certainly different - not like anything else we have in town... from the big 'barroom' atmosphere, to the long communal table, to lovely modern touches, to the bar with copious brew of the most unique variety, to the pig pen booths that close you in all fort-like... this joint is happening! Popping with life, The Publican is loud, vibrant and has the staff to match! Everyone was so welcoming, friendly, and most importantly, knowledgeable. From our beer gal (more Frambozenbier please) to our server - who we let select our menu for us - everything was on point.

    Can I highly recommend a few things... Do NOT miss the Oysters... we did a hand selection of 2 dozen and each one was more amazing and succulent than the next. A great follow up would be a little cup of those spicy cracklin' pork rinds, some salty prosciutto, serrano ham and cheese, a charcuterie platter (this one gets adventurous) and the sweetbreads. Yes, sweetbreads... crispy, sweet, buttery, fabulous! Just pretend it's not what it actually is and go.to.town.

    Entrée favs were the porchetta (a fabulous pork belly roast) and the seared salmon with bacon... All cooked perfectly and served with the very best ingredient, tlc. Loved it! Wanna do dessert? One word: Waffle with pear and honey butter. Ok, so that was 6 words... all you need to know is that it was to die for and the perfect end to an already sumptuous and decadent feast.

    Can you tell we loved it? That I love it... That I love you, Paul? Yep, that proposal? The offer still stands.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/14/2013

    Great brunch place although waits are understandably long.  Had the braised lamb which was excellent but hands down, the best thing on the menu was their maple syrup-braised bacon!

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

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  • 5.0 star rating
    1/8/2012

    Outstanding food, take all the suggestion that the staff gives you cause everything they suggested was phenomenal except for the pork rind, while it was nice and crunchy the cheese dust wasn't giving the kick it needed it.
    Do order the maple braised bacon and the red wine poached egg super yum!
    My boyfriend is not a pork fan so he order the waffle with a side order of hash brown , but he regrets not ordering the more "adventurous" dishes as it arrived on our neighbors table he wished he had and wanted to trade my poach eggs cause it was that good.
    I'll def make a trip to come back here when we visit Chicago again.

  • 2.0 star rating
    7/3/2011

    I'm so disappointed to say that I was tremendously underwhelmed by The Publican. I'd been being goaded and ribbed for months because I hadn't had the chance to go, and when a friend asked if I'd like to join her group for dinner last night I leapt at the chance. Here were my impressions from start to finish:

    1. The valet out front was jumbled with the place next door and generally disorganized.

    2. We were seated immediately, which was great! The bathrooms were cool and I liked the layout and design of the place.

    3. The busser was distracted and over-filled one of the water glasses, flooding the table and getting water all over one of my friends. There was no acknowledgement, much less an apology.

    4. Our server apologized; he was very knowledgeable and he seemed to actually LIKE what he was selling and gave very good descriptions of the menu items and specifically recommended the fries with the egg and the shaved truffles.

    5. ...which was great, because three other dishes we'd wanted were 86'd. At 9:30 on a Saturday night.

    6. One of my dining companions is a self-professed wine nerd and scoffed at the organization - or lack thereof, apparently - of the wine menu. I'd kind of thought we'd be having beer, as I'd heard they have a tremendous selection and can offer good pairings, but he was the designated wine chooser and I went along. I thought the wines he chose were delicious, so they do have good wines.

    7. The food came and it was...odd. We'd ordered a radish dish that was essentially a mound of whipped butter with salt and a small handful of really small radishes. The oysters were delicious, I'm told, but the hamachi plate was oddly - disconcertingly - fishy.

    8. The fries/egg/truffles dish came and visually, it was amazing. They were VERY generous with the truffles; as they should be, as the dish goes up by $24 with their addition. We'd gotten this order specifically upon the server's recommendation, so imagine our dismay when we went to stab the yolks for dribbly golden goodness only to find that they'd overcooked them. Horribly. They were over-hard instead of a lovely, gooey sunny-side up. One of my companions suggested that maybe that was how it was supposed to be (which would not make sense, in my opinon), but when our server came we asked and he'd said the eggs were supposed to be runny and he graciously offered to send out a replacement plate, even though we'd eaten the first one because we were hungry. The replacement plate, unsurprisingly, came without the truffles, which made me chuckle.

    9. The farm chicken is SO GOOD. It's moist and flavorful, if a touch heavy on the oregano. The spicy pork rinds were CRACK, I tell you. The porchetta was gorgeous, as was the pork belly. The ribeye was perfect; nice and red and juicy.

    10. Aforementioned busser returned to collect some plates and he misunderstood that one of my companions was asking to keep a plate that he wasn't quite finished with. So when he picked it up and walked away and my friend asked him if he'd please return the plate with the fries, the busser walked back the few steps to the table, fairly flung the dish down and HISSED at my friend, "You don't respect me!" This was...appalling. I was a server for 8 years; part of the job is not taking any perceived slight personally, and definitely not acting upon it and/or lashing out at a customer. The busser never returned to our table, but shot us daggers from the nearby tables - really! I saw him and looked over because another one of us at the table said he was giving us the death glare and he was!

    We are not problem diners, I promise. We weren't loud or fussy, we didn't require anything out of the ordinary and we were all really looking forward to this dinner. But between the busser and the bi-polar food, I'm in no hurry to return to The Publican.

    Edited to add: I should mention that our server gave us some after-dinner digestifs, which were delicious. There was a creamy limoncello and a bitter drink which was made perfectly. They were appreciated.

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/13/2013

    We went for Mother's Day brunch yesterday because my mother had been dreaming about the red wine poached eggs which she tasted during her first visit a few months back.  I should preface this with "I am a pescetarian" so going into it I knew the menu options would be limited.  My sister and I started with the little gem salad.  It was yummy but way over-dressed.  It was hard to really taste the flavors of the ingredients through the thick coating of dressing... delicious dressing but too much of a good thing can take away from a dish.  Then I had the omelet as my main with egg whites.  It was also very good; the egg whites were cooked to perfection and the asparagus was perfectly prepared (still with a little crunch) but it was served at room temperature so the cheese on the inside wasn't oozy and by the end was almost chunky.  I also didn't like that bread was burned and coated in butter (no mention of butter soaked toast on the menu).  

    My sister ordered the smoked Char and loved every bite (she probably ordered the best).  My father had the baked eggs which he enjoyed but he wasn't really sure what he was eating.  He loved it but when asked what was in it, he had no idea.  It looked much more complex than the menu let off which isn't a bad thing... I am just someone who likes to know what I am getting based on the description on the menu or from the server. My mother ordered the gem salad to start which she returned because it was overly dressed.  Then she had the poached eggs which she also returned because the eggs were hard.  But on both dishes, the second time was a charm and she cleared her plate.

    So while I enjoyed my meal and I can definitely see why the Publican gets such rave reviews, my first visit was by no means deserving of a 5 star review.  I will cut them some slack since it was Mother's Day and very busy but I was disappointed in the execution.  I wish my salad wasn't dressed with such a heavy hand, my omelet was served hot and the menu or the server did a better job explaining what exactly we were ordering.  

    All that to say, I will be back and look forward to trying their dinner menu.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/12/2012

    Went for brunch and it was truly wonderful. We shared a few plates, but the most memorable was the maple-syrup braised bacon. This might be one of the most delicious things I've eaten. Ever.

    The rest of our food was also wonderful, but totally eclipsed by the bacon.

    4 out of 5 because the service seemed a little inconsistent.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/11/2011

    I don't watch much food TV but I happened to catch an episode of something where they showed the Publican's porkchop.

    I obsessed over this aged, smoked and deliciously prepared hunk of pork-a-rama for months. Then luckily for me, a great deal for Chicago popped up and off I went.

    I made reservations for the night I arrived and good thing I did because the joint was packed. We sat at a communal table and it was actually quite nice because we could see what everyone was eating.

    I hadn't eaten all day during the flight and even refused a snack when we landed. We basically ordered breakfast, lunch AND dinner when we got there. Everything from fried pork skin to pickles to that pork chop to roasted suckling pig to well, more food.

    I have been calling the Publican with its pig paintings adorned walls, a shrine to all things porky, porcine and pig parts.

    That I later saw LA Restaurant Maven Nancy Silverton (Mozza) in the house made my night.

    Bonus- fantastic whiskey!

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/20/2013

    Really liked this place, as basically anybody who comes here.  I don't know, but Kahn captures just a cool vibe.  It makes you happy instantly.  They have oysters, they have great small plates, they have great brews.  The service is rather good. Parking is impossible, so thats hard, but you are in a 'trendy' area, it feels like the 9th Ave in NYC.  Great meat products, and a good brussels sprouts dish.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/13/2012

    This is one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago for dinner.  Of the numerous times I've been here each one was a 5 star experience, however once was a 4 star.

    First I really appreciate a knowledgeable and attentive staff.  I find this elevates the experience no matter where you are.  The servers here are very good without being pretentious (that would be a deal breaker), they know their stuff.  Whether it be from the impressive beer list or from the great fare.  Now I don't just mean they know what it is, but how it's prepared, where it comes from, the pig's name (OK maybe not the pig's name.)  Food aside, this is one of the things I really appreciate about the Publican.

    The food is of course great too, the menu is pork centered with some seafood splashed in. Lots of in-house produced items, haven't had a chance to hit the new butcher shop over there.   I've always had fantastic, well prepared food here, again with the exception of that one 4 star experience.  That particular time the food was not as consistently up to Publican par as it had been prior to and since.  I'm going with this as an off-day.  Typically the food is fantastic.  One review I read complained of too much salt, I haven't found this to be the norm there, even when eating pork, et al where you can start to get too salty quickly.  Bring a big group (or small and hungry,) and order lots of plates to share.  This is probably the best way to experience what the Publican has to offer.  Be a bit of a glutton.  

    I'd definitely recommend the Publican and will be going there for my last restaurant meal in Chicago before I move.

    Also if you go during peak days/times, I'd recommend a reservation as the place gets packed.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/14/2011
    3 check-ins

    Oh man, I've been so busy recently I can't believe I never got around to write the review for Publican.

    This little gem of a restaurant in the West loop embodies fresh ingredients and creative ways of preparing them. Came here for Sunday brunch and the four of us were seated inside one of the pig pens, I have to say that was one of the more amusing things in a good way that happened to me that day, surely made me enjoy my meal more. On subsequent visits we sat on the patio and on a nice summer day that's the best place to be IMO.

    Service- casual and efficient.

    Food
    1) Publican bacon- the server recommended it the first time I came here and I've gotten it every time I've been back and it has never disappointed me.
    2) Soft-shelled crab sandwich- was amazing!
    3).... actually I will just skip the rest as the menu is ever changing and quoting a friend when asked what's good at Publican, his reply was "EVERYTHING" and indeed everything I've tried here has been good to amazing so get out here and try their Sunday brunch, you won't be disappointed.

  • 2.0 star rating
    7/1/2011

    High expectations aside, our experience at Publican was just plain awful. Our waitress was only sporadically present, forgot one of my beers, and put in our order in such a way that our dishes came out either on top of one another, with a 20 minute wait between them, or out of order; we received our vegetable dish well after finishing everything else.  

    The shortrib was full of fat and inconsistently done (parts were very well done, others rare). I do not exaggerate when I say that we had a very difficult time cutting through it with a knife.

    The belated braised greens were greasy, bitter, and tasted of burnt ham (though no actual ham made an appearance).

    The sweetbreads and the halibut crudo were very good, but did not make up for the poor service and quality of several dishes.

    Maybe our visit was a fluke, but nevertheless, I won't be back anytime soon.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/2/2012
    3 check-ins

    Have come here for brunch and dinner and really enjoyed both experiences. communal tables at brunch and private table for dinner; we had the French toast, duck, and hash browns at brunch and everything was amazing. Would try to come a little earlier bc they ran out of the coffee cake and one of the plates. For dinner we had oysters to start and cured meats which made for a surprisingly light meal. Would def come back, especially because they take reservations.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/13/2014

    great place for simple and tasty dining. the oysters are always changing and fun to try. the mussels, other things always good.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/7/2012

    Long wait, but worth it.  Great concept...very similar to a German-ish pork and seafood tapas experience.  It's not tapas, but the food is served family style with smaller plates.  Promotes portion control which was a winner in my book.  All of the ingredients are local/regional, fresh and prepared with great care.  On the menu it specifically states what location or farm the ingredients came from.  Very refreshing way of presenting food.
    Great oysters, scallops, grilled calamari and lots of versions of pig, all washed down with a chocolate beer...yes, chocolate beer.  It ROCKED. We finished the evening with a dessert waffle, artisan cheese plate and a loose-leaf Earl Gray tea. Great experience!

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/18/2012

    Love this place.  You name it, order it here. The service was superb (although we had a reservation for 8pm and weren't seated until 30 mins later...).. the waitress does a great job of explaining the menu and their pacing style.

    Pork Belly entree - fabulous, the grits didn't over power and added just a the nice light touch needed for this dish.

    Desserts - you can't go wrong, innovative and fun to eat

    Drinks - bourbon beer?  yes please, nice selection of both beer/wine.  would love to see more specialty drinks on the menu next time though!

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/6/2013
    1 check-in

    Wow, can't wait to go back and bring the wife.  This will be first stop in Chicago!  Very impressed with the service.  I was a table for 1 and the server offered great suggestion for food as the portions can be big.  I was full but not too full..  Beer suggestions were on par.  My favorite had to be the selection of raw oysters i ate from many different regions.  Good way too start the meal.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/5/2013

    went there for brunch!!! super goood!!!!

    this was a while ago so my descriptions may not be the best... but go there on saturday brunch!!!!

    sourdough pancake baked with sausages... holy moly, you would think that it would be super sweet but its actually pretty balanced. the sourdough keeps it from being overly sweet and brings in more of a savory which meshes well with the maple syrup and the salty meaty sausage and lets not forget about the bacon wrapped chicken thigh!!!!

    i had the dual quads. and it was super yummy!!! 2 sausages, eggs, cornbread and sauces!!! yummy!!! two different types of sauces, eggs were good to break open and corn bread was great to sop up the egg and sauce!!!

    got an order of hash browns for good measure... must say they are delicious... def up there in the top 5!!

    pork rinds... i dont know if ive ever officially had them.. but i thought they were delicious... you really need to master the art of breathing before you get them. i obviously did not master the art of breathing and inhaled the seasoning or the crack powder that covers the pork rinds multiplie times... glad i didnt have an orange runny nose all day!!

    mimosa... delicious!!!

    will def go back!!!!

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/5/2013

    I've been here a couple times and left completely happy.  The food is good and I don't leave feeling hungry or robbed.  I like to go with a couple friends, order a mix of sides/meat/fish, and share the meal.  The staff is always attentive and helpful.  It's fun to go back every once in a while since their menu is constantly changing.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/22/2011

    The four star rating stems for the fact that this is the NOISIEST restaurant I think I've ever been to in my life -- even noiser than Comme Ça in Las Vegas last week!!!  Part of that is the communal tables, which is fine, but the walls and ceiling are plaster, and neither the architect nor the (post-construction) design team has even attempted to do anything to lessen the noise level here . . . the San Francisco Chronicle features a bomb-with-a-lit-fuse icon to indicate very loud restaurant; this one deserves two!

    So what can make up for the truly obnoxious noise level of this place?  Why would I ever want to go back?? And why would I give such a deafening establishment four stars???

    The FOOD.  The food is definitely (and defiantly!) FIVE stars . . .

    Lynn and I arrived in Chicago on Virgin America at 6:30 pm, got to our hotel, changed, grabbed a cab and made out 8:30 reservations.  The place was packed, yet we were immediately seated at the corner of one of the communal tables -- picture a giant U and you get the idea of seating.  Fortunately, as we were seated next to one another -- each on the outside of an L -- we could lean over and talk to each other.

    We began with the "Taste of Three Hams"  -- jambon serrano (from Salmanaca, Spain), la querica americano (Norwalk, Iowa), and benton country ham (Madisonville, Tennessee).  Now, all three were exquisite, but the only misstep of the evening (in our opinion) was that the server named them in the reverse order of what I've listed here.  We took that to mean we should try them in that order, but the intensely smoky quality of the Benton's overwhelmed the more delicate flavor and complexity of the other two.

    More pig!  More pig!  More pig!

    OK, next we had a "half order" of the house-made charcuterie -- pork pie, head cheese, and three different salumi -- all simply superb!

    At this point, we needed a break from pig, and ordered the Little Gem salad.  (Cue the famous Monty Python sketch:  "Well, that's only got a little Spam in it!")  The salad comes with radishes, julienne of crispy pig's ear, and a buttermilk vinaigrette.  OMG!  

    Break time over:  time to pig out!  A half-order of Country Rib (think massive pork chop), from the Slagle Family Farm in Fairbury, Illinois and a half roasted chicken from Crystal Valley Farm in Middlebury, Indiana, served with summer sausage and frites.

    Orval, Duvel, and Boon Kriek beers -- AMAZING beer list -- and by the end of the evening, we were in Hog Heaven!

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/3/2011
    1 check-in

    The Publican to me is like Chicago's version of DBGB.  Which is basically, awesome!   Cavernous space.  Loud and bustling.  Pork!  Craft beer!  Just radical stuff!  A great place where you are going "out" and can eat good food.  Decided to meet up with some of my Chicago friends while I was visiting.  The perfect place.  Yeah, you have to yell.  But hey, ain't no thing.

    We dined on a recent Friday and the place was quite chaotic, to say the least.  Service was slow, so we got some freebies like the spicy pork rinds and an order of fries.  Look, I'm not fan of pork rinds.  No offense, but when I think of them, I think of truckers.  I am not a trucker.  But these are warm and damn good.  The fries as well were fried to perfection!

    Ordered some serrano ham to start.   Good stuff, for real.  As I had consumed bountiful amounts of beer, and I do mean bountiful, my memory is a bit fuzzy.  But I'm pretty sure we had some potee and lamb's neck.  That's really all I remember.  But the food was just what I expected.  This is a place for the adventurous.  The Victor of 5 years ago wouldn't eat pretty much anything on the menu.  But these days, yeah.  Even lamb's neck.  Will definitely return the next time I'm in the Chi.

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/1/2013

    Amazing beer selection!! Very fun environment... communal tables.. the bar area is all standing with mini tall tables in the center.. very loud and busy! Be adventurous! They have a lot of different meat dishes.. definitely for meat lovers... portions are HUGE!

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/28/2009

    Evidently, this is a pork/oysters/beer kind of place.  Come here with a larger party so you get to sample many items!  It was recommended to order family style since all the plates vary in size, and well, ordering just 1 entree for yourself wouldn't be as fun.  Our party of 5 had:
    - spicy pork rinds
    - chef's selection of 12 oysters (6 Eastern & 6 Western)
    - chef's selection of 3 hams (Tennessee (?), Iowa, and Spain)
    - potted rillettes
    - sweetbreads
    - boudin blanc
    - pork shoulder with chorizo
    - little gem salad

    The spicy pork rinds were fresh, airy, crispy, and had a hint of what tasted like spicy vinegar.

    Oysters were fantastic.  Clean, cold, and fresh.  The champagne vinaigrette that accompanied them was a perfect tangy complement.

    The 3 hams are prosciutto.  The Tennessee was the saltiest, the Iowa extremely smooth, the Spanish Serrano slightly chewy.

    Potted rillettes... shredded meat mixed with creamy animal fat and eaten with salty herb crackers.  Yum!

    Sweetbreads... they're glands.  Of what animal, I'm not sure.  I was most apprehensive to eat these, but they were seared to a nice, flavorful crunch with a hint of sweetness.  Texture wise, they reminded me of milky soft tofu.

    The boudin blanc was an extremely tender white sausage of chicken & pork and was my favorite dish.  It was accompanied with celery root greens and lentils.

    The pork shoulder dish had 1 medium sized chunk and a decent amount of chorizo, but the best part was the broth!  Tasted like tomatoes in wine and absolutely divine with bread.

    Lastly, it was a good change of pace to eat the gem salad in between lots of meat dishes.  It was very ordinary except for the addition of sliced fried pig's ear.

    Keep in mind that almost every plate comes with a side of toast or crackers, so you get filled up.  On food alone, we spent around $30/pp.  The decor resembled a rustic, streamlined barn.  There are lots of long tables in the middle of the restaurant where parties will have to share tables.   And the Wednesday night I was here, it was certainly lively and loud.  I don't think this place ever had an empty table until after 10 PM.  Go for the experience and to eat things you've never had before!

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/8/2011

    If you are in the mood for pork, here is your place. We tried several dishes recommended by our waiter Seth, who took great pride in making solid suggestions to us.
    When we came in, we were seated immediately (unlike the party in front of us who were waiting on some people) and Seth greeted us like we were old friends. The food was not rushed (if you are expecting immediate service, its not your place- its more European, where you order a bunch of plates and they come as they come). You enjoy your drinks, the atmosphere, and of course food that is delicious.
    The ham chop was fabulous, the pork rinds were crunchy and the mussels (while not the biggest ones I've eaten) are in a sauce that is so good, you want to lick the bowl.

    That ham chop, though, oh my. Best I've ever had. It had a smoky bacon and ham taste that I could eat right now. Be careful. It's addicting.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/20/2011

    I put my head in my hands and shook it in disbelief.
    I feel confident my eyes welled with tears of pleasure, if such a thing exists.

    Orgasms last 5 seconds. This meal lasted 3 hours. And the satisfaction just never ended.
    ham, brussel sprouts, oysters, beets, tuna, octopus, salad with crispy pigs ear, pork confit, some shank, steak, more pork, a waffle with gelato, concord grape sorbet, a french press of coffee... and i know im missing like 3 plates..

    it hurts. it hurts how much i want more. I started a very very dirty affair with this place, I can tell....

  • 1.0 star rating
    10/8/2009

    Too loud.  Too much togetherness - no privacy.  Too expensive.
    We couldn't hear the waitress regarding the specials.
    We won't be back.
    The service was OK, the food was OK, the decor was OK.
    But nothing could overcome the horrible noise and din---no one could hear and everyone was shouting.
    The bathrooms are very pretty & it is obvious that a lot of thought went into the interior design.
    However, nothing was done to help people hear one another when the room is full.
    We didn't enjoy sitting at the refectory style table and having neighbors talking to us when we couldn't hear each other.
    I went with the friends I wanted to visit with & not to meet strangers.

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/30/2013

    Interesting atmosphere, but the food was just pretty good, and the noise level was comical.  I expected a lot bsed on what I had heard from friends and other reviews, but I wouldn't say this was anything better than 'ok.'  In addition, the night we went, they misplaced 3 of our orders.  It happens, so that's ok, but solidified that I probably won't be coming back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/12/2010

    This place is the pork love of my life. I've been to The Publican twice now and it just seems to be getting better. I've sat in an enclosed booth and at a freestanding table for two and found both just fine.

    The service both times was impeccable. It was my boyfriend's birthday the second time we went and were greeted with a "Happy birthday" and a candle on our waffle at the end of the meal. I love the design of their menu, and everything I've ordered has not only met, but far exceeded my expectations. I've eaten in a lot of great restaurants all over the world and the food at the Publican stands up to the best. They have, hands down, the best pork I've ever had anywhere.

    My boyfriend, who has worked in the industry for years and really knows his beer, was really impressed with their beer selection, and I found a delicious French cider I fell in love with. Dishes of note: the potted rillettes (divine) the ham chop in hay (really big, made for sharing, and fantastic) and the lamb sausage (incredible flavor).

    For those who complain about the noise level, yes, it's loud in there. But you need to consider the concept of the restaurant- it's not supposed to be a quiet, intimate place. The communal seating punctuates that idea well. It's a place to kick back, have some delicious beer and even better food and maybe meet a few new people. If you're looking for romantic and intimate you may want to choose somewhere else, but I think the Publican has perfectly achieved what they wanted to do. They really know what they're doing over there, and I can't wait to go back again.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/14/2009

    The price point may dictate somewhat upscale dining, but leave the blazer and heels behind.  The food, atmosphere and service is relaxed, low-key, unpretentious and totally fun. The food is totally blue collar, meaty, fatty, hearty, with big bold rustic flavors.  Commensurately, diners sit at communal tables, the atmosphere is slightly rowdy and energetic, and craft beers, not wine, rule the scene.

    This is a place where you can get drunk, forget about your diet, eat with your elbows on the table, and have fun with food.  Fun is exemplified in their wonderfully crispy frites with aioli or some unspeakably delicious pork rinds which come out still sizzling from the deep fryer.  Nothing like a hot dose of fat, starch and pork skin to start a wonderful meal.

    A huge pot of plump mussels in a fragrant curry broth, accompanied by a massive loaf of crusty and hot bread, is by far the best value on the menu.  The charcuterie platter is intensely flavorful, but a little too over the top (esp after the fattiness of frites and pork rinds).  A presentation of shaved beef tongue with a vinaigrette is just OK, with the flavors taking a bit too much acidity which drowns out the subtlety of the protein.

    Aside from the moulles, there is one must-have dish on the menu.  The crispy pork belly was one of the best preparations i've had in recent memory.  An absolute triumph of porky arts, it's a thing of sheer beauty, crispy, meaty, and fattiness cut with a slight edge of salt and sweet.

    Chef/Owner Paul Kahan has enjoyed a string of hits with his other ventures, Avec and Blackbird, and I think Publican doesn't disappoint.

    Oh, and an informative spot on how pork rinds are made:
    seriouseats.com/2009/07/…

    I'm sure Publican makes theirs a little differently.

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/23/2012

    THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE PUBLICAN MEATS SHOP....

    The first time I walked into the publican, it seemed like the servers behind the counter were anxious to get me out.  It probably didn't help that I came in near 6PM.  I found out that the shop stops making sandwiches around 6PM.  No problem.  So, I had to come in a second time to order my sandwich.    

    So, the second time I came in, I was happy to be able to try these unique and different sandwiches from the meat markets of the west loop.  This time, the staff was much friendlier.  A worker greeted me when I came in and gave me a much warmer welcome than before.  

    Although I'm not big on pork, I ordered the pork sandwich because it was advertised as 'better than a gyro'.  It came with chips and cost about $10.  I was expecting the sandwich to be made with a bread bun, but it was wrapped in what looked like a tortilla.  There are some greens on the inside with some white sauce that tasted great.  The meat was good and I enjoyed the sandwich.  I didn't think it was 'blow your mind!'...'out of this world!'...but it was unique.  

    I plan to go back and try a few more sandwiches.  In my opinion, the sandwiches may be overpriced at $10, but it is definitely a good place to check out.  There are also meats that can be purchased with herbs and spices in the store.  So, I also plan to buy some meats to bring home in the future.

  • 2.0 star rating
    10/3/2012

    i want to like this place, i really do. it's in the meat-packing district of chicago, so the location is pretty interesting. the interior is open and airy, but immediately gives me the sense of being served as cattle. overall, it's just another instance of not-quite-as-cool-as-you-think-you-are.

    the beer list has the right breweries but the wrong brew. the oyster list is fantastic, but the couple times we've ordered them, they've been served with grit and shell. the half chicken, which sounded delicious, was dry and plain. the booths are few and you get corralled into it with a tall closing door, which...if your dining mates aren't super skinny, can be quite clausterphobic. their policy of serving food as it comes out of the kitchen means you may get your vegetable long before your main dish. i find that absurd, particularly if there's a lag in the kitchen in between. there's a reason food is paired and combined. they have some good food, but it's hard to see it for this ridiculous serving method.

    the thing that irritates me most is you can't stop in after work for a beer and appetizers...unless you want to stand. despite there not being a single person at the "bar", you cannot sit there unless you order from the full menu. have fun eating your half chicken and oysters at the wobbly standing tables. i will pass, thank you!

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/14/2012

    Food is very good.  Our party of three concentrated on the red meats and charcuterie.  Everything we tried was delicious.   The service, after we were seated, was very attentive.  The courses came in a well timed sequence until the last one, which was very late to the table.  We were comped the course as a result.

    Were were seated at 8:30 after having arrived on time for an 8 PM reservation.  The noise level in the restaurant was so high that conversation was almost impossible and we couldn't really carry on a conversation with the waiter.  The inability to talk over the noise resulted in some confusion about our order.

    While the food was very good, the overall experience was such that I don't think I'll go back again.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/12/2012 Updated review

    Love this place. I still remember an amazing beet salad I had there over 2 years ago.
    The staff is informed and know there food well. I love the charcuterie plate. The beer selection is amazing.

    4.0 star rating
    3/4/2011 Previous review
    Yet another home run for Paul Kahan and his team.  This place is amazing.  I have only had the… Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    12/14/2013

    Best Brunch in Chicago! Excellent staff, great ambiance and amazing food. They have the lightest waffles in town (not to be missed).

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/15/2013

    There's so much to love about Publican. Cool space, outdoor seating, great service,
    one of the most interesting menus in Chicago and great drink menu. Went last night and everything was delicious. Had the oysters, crudo, smoked char, fries with egg, aged steak, porchetta and fried smelts. Stellar meal. Still love the Publican.

  • 2.0 star rating
    10/13/2012

    Very disappointing.

    A friend, my husband and I have formed a dinner club and every other week, we're trying a restaurant in our cool West Loop neighborhood.  We were excited to try the Publican after reading and hearing so much about it.  Unfortunately, we were underwhelmed to say the least.  Aside from the inability to speak to each other due to the excessive noise level, the food was just okay...nothing special.  We tried a little of everything from the ham sampler to the sand dabs, salad and what sounded like a cool dessert with figs.  Nothing was good.  Even the figs were not fresh.  Worse yet was that many of the customers were still wearing their name tags fresh from attending earlier business conferences.  Clearly this is not a place for locals, especially at such ridiculous prices.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/27/2011

    One of my favorite places. Service is stellar and the food is fantastic.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/11/2011

    Was here because of the marathon this past weekend, and this was perhaps one of the best dining experiences I've ever had.   Like a previous reviewer stated, great blend of hipster feel and great food and drinks.  

    Everything that came out was great, we said "hmmm" at every bite.  We had the oysters, hamachi crude, pote, loup de mere, pickles, sarana ham anda few others things.  And of yeah, the beer selection is amazing here.  We ended up with the Apple Crumb and Brown Butter bread, really nice ways to end the meal.

    Wait staff was also one of the best experience.  It seemed like every time we finished a water glass or plate, someone was there to help.  And our waitress had no attitude, down to earth, knew the menu, and was very helpful with suggestions.

    Definitely a spot I will hit every time I come back to this fun city.

  • 3.0 star rating
    12/19/2012

    Liked the family style food especially the sardines, mussels and short rib. Wished for larger veggie portions. Good beer selection. 3 stars because it was pretty loud and we didn't like the claustrophobic feeling when they closed the door to our booth. It's weird to only be able to see above your own neck... Also not sure I'd agree with other reviews on the pork rinds...not bad but wouldn't order them again because they were overseasoned.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/2/2012
    1 check-in

    A friend of mine who lives in Chicago recommended this place, and we were delighted with our meal. Coming from NYC, I wanted to see what Chicago could bring to the table. All the flavors were spot on. We started with the Arctic Char with poached egg. Egg was perfectly poached, and all the flavors melded well together. Great start to our meal. For our second dish, we ordered the Country Rib. I'm not a pork eater normally, (menu is filled with pork items so didn't have much of a choice) but this was a great attempt at converting me over. Perfectly cooked, with just the right amount of savory. Final dish was the Seafood Stew, which was delicious. I was so happy it wasn't the typical tomato broth, but rather a light, broth with white beans. Filled to the brim with mussels, clams, fish, shrimp, toasted bread pieces, and those tuna fish balls! Perfect end to our meal.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/29/2011
    1 check-in

    Went to Publican last night for my boyfriend's birthday. Couldn't be a better dinner spot for a male birthday; lots of meat that is slow cooked, moist and delicious and a really good beer menu. Our server was really key in our picking the best dishes and the right amount of food for a group of 4. We ended up getting the country chicken (probably my favorite, best chicken i've had in a while), the potee (2 different meat cuts and a sausage), the veal loin, the squash and romanesco vegetable plates, and the chef's choice of oysters. We also got two desserts (waffles and apple pie) and two amazing beers each, and finished every bite. Ended up being about $60 each but it was totally worth it, especially for a birthday celebration.

    Happy birthday Neil!

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/8/2013

    I had heard several great things about this place and wasn't disappointed.  I went for dinner.  Sat at the large wrap around bar.  It has an open shared public seating feel to it.  I admittedly went through 4 of their entrees.  The bartender was very nice and was willing to have long conversations about their beer selection.  Overall a wonderful experience.  I will hopefully be returning in the near future.

  • 2.0 star rating
    9/24/2012

    My husband and I traveled to Chicago for a birthday weekend and were very excited to eat at The Publican after hearing such rave reviews.  We are both very easy to please and have never once made a complaint at a restaurant.  I'm sad to say that we broke our streak here.

    Reservations were made via Open Table for 9:30 on a Friday night.  No problems here.  When we arrived, we asked to see if we would be able to wait for a private table, versus the communal seating, and were told no, the tables were reserved for parties of 3+.  Perfectly understandable, but they managed to get us a two seater by the waiter's station/cashier.  About 10 minutes later, a couple (aka, a party of two) were seated at the newly vacated private table nearby.  This was fine, but disappointing.

    We ordered the farm chicken and the country rib to share.  After about 30 minutes, our country rib arrived and we dug in.  It was good, cooked well, but nothing incredibly special.  It hit the spot and we were anxiously anticipating the chicken dish.

    another 20 minutes passes after we had finished the country rib and the staff bussing our table cleared our plates, rather confusedly asking if we were expecting something else.  After assuring him we were, he replaced our plates with new ones and filled our waters.  He was wonderfully attentive, our waiter, not so much.

    After another 15 minutes pass, and after several passes by our table without stopping, I'm forced to flag our waiter down.  I apologize for doing so and inquire as to when our second dish might come out.

    "Hmm...yes, your dish probably should have been out already.  I'll ask a manager to look into it."

    About 5 minutes later, another waitress arrives with our dish.  Our waiter does not return, the manager does not stop by.  There is no explanation.  The dish certainly was not made in 5 minutes, so it was either sitting out, or our original order was given to someone else.

    At this point it has been 40 minutes since we finished our first dish and we are past the point of hunger.  We don't really want to pay $30+ for a dish that seems lukewarm, especially given our lack of appetite.

    We flag down the waiter again and mention that we're not quite hungry any more after the wait.  His response was, "Oh, well, I can understand that you might not be hungry anymore after waiting.  If you really don't want this, I can take it back."

    I wasn't expecting a whole lot, but perhaps at least a sound of apology would have been nice.

    The waiter offered dessert to us, but we politely declined.  He nicely took one of our drinks off the check.

    All in all, it was a horribly disappointing start to our trip.  The restaurant was busy, but not terribly so.  The staff filling our empty glasses were very attentive.  However, the wait staff and managers need some work.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 5.0 star rating
    1/3/2013

    My favorite restaurant in Chicago. If you love small plates and tapas than this place is for you. 8 dishes for a party of 4 is the way to go. The wine selection is quite good but the food is the reason you come here. Favorite items are: halibut crude, smoked arctic char and suckling pig

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/2/2013

    I think Publican is more of a 3.5 stars, but because of the customer service, I gave them the extra .5.  I was surprised at how delightful the oysters were.  The country ribs were a bit too fatty for my taste, but the meaty part was very tender.  We also got the farm chicken - a tender, generous portion.  This place has some unique cuts of meat - be prepared for a meat fest, but not a venue for a 'steak and potatoes' person; it's a sweetbreads and sardines kind of place.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/10/2011 Updated review
    2 check-ins

    I've been to Publican for their Brunch but this time I came for dinner with 4 of my gal friends .I'd say a party of 4 is the way to go at this place, so you can try a lot dishes but still recieve a fair portion per person. Everything is small plates and by small I do mean small, like tapas size or smaller. But expect a total Foodielicious experience!

    Here's what we ordered:

    The meats:
    -SPICY STEAK TARTARE was a delightful delicacy for rare meat lovers that we all raved about. Served with fresh veggie garnishes and a great flavor, I think this was one of my favorite standouts.
    -COUNTRY STYLE RIBS - we did the full order and this was a good comfort food dish, a better portion for a group of our size plus juicy and tender.
    -BOUDIN BLANC - at first glance, i was like, 'What! you get one tiny sausage to share between 5 people." but once you experience this dish, your taste buds will go haywire!. I think this was one of my favorites - the meat was so tender and had a wonderful flavor! It makes my mouth water just thinking about it now!

    The fish:
    - BEAU SOLIEL, SPANISH MACKEREL, AND STRIPED BASS
    ok, I'm not afish lover and rarely eat fish, but i definitely ate this fish. It was so fresh, no fishiness and all the flavors of each dish generated "ooo's and ahhhs" from our group.
    -The Spanish Mackerel, though simple in presentatation, was very tasty - expect it to be on the salty salty side.
    -the Striped Bass was so memorable -served with cucumbers and almonds, this dish was my favorite fish dish.
    -The OYSTERS: A group of our size required the full order of 12, and it's worth it! Very fresh, I swear they must fly their oysters out to the midwest often!  

    The vegetables:
    - POREINI & KING MUSHROOMS: Definitely one of my favorite dishes. Our first reaction was "what! this is all you get for $20!" But again, once you taste the dish, you will know why you paid what you paid. The mint,balsamic and burrata just bursts with flavor in your mouth. We were all like "wow" and lip smacking =) .
    -ASPARAGUS - skip this dish, while it's good, it's nothing special and unique.
    -SUMMER SQUASH SALAD: While very fresh, it's not a good dish to split between 5 people - we each had like a piece of lettuce and a small veggie, so i can't comment on whehter it was special or not since i barely got a taste!

    DESSERT:
    -the waffle  dish and an apple pie w/icecream dish - this really topped off the meal. Everything was really good.

    The Damage? With one drink per person, we each spent $75.
    Expect to spend a lot of dough in order to experience what this place has to offer, which is a heaven for your taste buds.

    3.0 star rating
    3/17/2011 Previous review
    This place deserves at least  4 stars but unfortunetely i chose the wrong dish to suit me. I… Read more
  • 3.0 star rating
    8/22/2012
    1 check-in

    I can already hear the fanboys cursing my name and yelling that 'I'm not open-minded enough' or 'I just don't get it', but I'm going to go ahead and lay it out there: Another Paul Kahan restaurant, another disappointing experience.

    I'll start with the positives: I loved Publican's large communal dining room, and the open kitchen in back. The space is inviting and the scene upbeat, though perhaps not the best place for a quiet date night. The menu is split into 3 sections: seafood, including an impressive oyster list, meats, and veggies, and the focus on high quality ingredients with simple presentations is right up my alley. Conceptually, this place absolutely works.

    So why 3 stars? Execution. I did love the sardines, which were pan fried to a nice crisp and were cut with a touch of acidity from the lemon served on the plate. The rest of our dishes, however, fell flat. Being in love with all things culinary and Spanish, we were encouraged to try the trio of hams, each of which was fine, but really nothing to write home about. I know Publican doesn't produce its own ham, but each were very heavy on the salt-cure and the small amount of bread that came with the plate just didn't do enough to cut it. At a place where simple ingredients are the star, this wasn't a great start. I'd give 4 stars to the smoked arctic char, which was well-balanced and about as successful what I'd consider a wintry dish could be served in summertime. Lastly, had heard great things about the little gem salad, so was disappointed to find a huge plate of uncut lettuce drowned in a somewhat bland buttermilk vinaigrette, though the crunch of the pig ears provided a welcome textural contrast.

    I could probably find it in my heart to round up to 4 stars for a hit & miss performance on the food. But the very lacking service is what brings this review down to a 3. Yes, it's a hot restaurant, and yes we were there at a busy time, but there isn't an excuse to make customers wait 15 minutes to see a menu, another 10 to order wine, and another 15 at the end to get the check after asking for it.

    The restaurant business is tough for an executive chef: you come up with a great concept, but you still have to execute day in and day out, without being able to micromanage every detail. If Publican can fix its execution, it is primed to be a great restaurant. But until then, I'm eating elsewhere.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/22/2009
    2 check-ins
    Listed in Top Restaurants

    After wasting all the excuses I had to avoid going to The Publican in order to lay stake to the claim that I am indeed the last yelper to have graced the pork and beer infested walls of this fine dining establishment, I finally gave into the temptation and stopped in for brunch.

    Damn, this place is off the chain!  First off the beer list is ridiculous.  They have a ton of obscure Belgians (personal fav), lambics, english, german, whatever your yeasty heart desires....they don't have a large selection of beer on tap (maybe 4 or 5), but they stuff they do have was carefully chosen and they have some bomb Surly 10 Grit that I gulped down like gatorade.  Oh and by the way the beer prices are pretty darn reasonable.

    Now to the food.  We got the wood fired eggs, which sounded the best out of what our server described and recommended.  It was a great call.  The dish was just scrumptious with eggs, melted gouda cheese, tomatoes, red onions all baked together in a stone pot.  Of course after dutifully scanning the pile of yelp reviews we had to order a side of the bacon with maple syrup.  Yum-O.  The bacon is butchered and cured in house. It's thick, juicy, and fried to perfection.  I like my bacon crispy, but that's not their style, but it is delicious nonetheless - definitely some of the best stuff around.

    Oh and least I not forget the service is impeccable. Our server NEVER tried to upsell us on anything and even recommended a beer that exactly fit what I asked for.  In fact, it was the cheapest on the menu!

    We made it back for dinner two weeks later and the The Publican definitely lived up to expectations.  The oysters were scrumptious, the country fried ribs tasted like they just came off the bbq, and the tuna small plate was super fresh and seasoned perfectly.  The best part was we say Paul Kahan there schucking oysters and we went over to say hi.  Super nice guy.  I'm addicted to this place!

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/10/2012

    Pork rinds that melt in your mouth and pork belly that sends you into a whole new dimension!

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/24/2011

    As hyped as it was, it just didn't deliver food-wise. Perhaps I would've been really satisfied if I simply stuck to its pork/oyster/beer selections but I didn't. Pork belly was good. Pork rillettes were fine although the currant:meat ratio could've been bigger. Spicy pork rinds were light and fluffy, tasty with a powdering of cheese. Scallops were a big fail. It was soft and mushy as if previously frozen or something. Asparagus was not grilled soft enough and was a big disappointment considering how they're in season right now and should taste amazing regardless!

    But...the waffle was great. Just don't smear the honey butter all over it before you try a bite (like my dining companions did). And sour cherries? Yum.

    It's loud, it's crowded, the space is cool, the bathroom even cooler but most of the food is aiite.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/24/2012

    First time here I went with 3 girlfriends for Brunch.  The place is rustic and comfortable tucked onto a crossroad in the meat-packing district, and they do their meat well!  We ordered Bloody Mary's with a 3 Floyds chaser and they were delicious and spicy!  Usually I have 2 drinks at brunch (lush I know), but I had the one and was more than feeling good.  

    I ordered the quiche and it was perfect, I am glad I got the side of bacon though since I would have been wanting more with just the entree.  The bacon was the best thing I ate too!  Its thick sliced and sugar glazed...it melts in your mouth with just the right amount of crispy fat on the end. Yum!  The eggs poached in red wine were very good as well.  

    I highly recommend asking for a booth if you have a party of 4.  The seating is very communal otherwise, which isn't a bad thing, but the booths were so fun.  They have swinging doors on them and made it nice and cozy for us.  You feel tucked away in the booth and private, but you are still open to the whole energy of the room.  Definitely want to go back and try a hearty dinner her with the boyfriend.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/17/2011

    With close to 1000 reviews, I don't know how much I can really add here.. but hot damn. The Publican is serious about their meat and serious about their beer.

    It's loud inside, with communal tables, so it's not the best place for quiet conversation, but it is probably one of the best temples of meatiness I've been to.

    My favorite meat there was the steak tartare. Tangy, slightly spicy, with melt-in-your-mouth delicious raw steak, it's raised the bar for me on what steak tartare can be.

    And at just under $100 for 3 people with a couple of drinks each, it's not the cheapest place around, but I'd say it's a pretty outstanding value for the quality. Worth including in any carnivorous visit to Chicago.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/31/2012

    Great Farm to Table brunch spot.   Different food choices than typical but still delicious.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/16/2012
    1 check-in

    Hands down, one of the BEST meals I've enjoyed lately.  Despite having a reservation (a late one too @ 10pm) we still had to wait about 30 minutes.  When being seated, we were a bit bummed to have not gotten a separated table out of the large farmhouse table where you sit next to other parties.  It worked out great as we ended up chatting and being nosy to see what everyone order - part of the fun!!

    The prices for wine look expensive, but they are actually 250ml so it's 2 large glasses of wine.  The Fitz, a sparkling Riesling is very crisp and delicious.  Didn't realize till writing this review that a spirits list was available - not sure why they don't provide it with the beer & wine menus.

    As a group you share everything, here's what the 4 of us had.  Spicy pork rinds - OMG, amazing, they are spicy, but have a bit of a cheese flavor at the end.  They were ridic and I'm not usually a fan of pork rinds.  The little gem salad - pig's ears, fennel, radish & buttermilk vinaigrette - hands down the best salad I've had!!  I could eat it everyday and be a happy lady!!  The taste of hams - Serrano, prosciutto, and la quercia rossa served with bread and fresh butter - who can go wrong with thinly slivered pieces of ham?  Chicken liver pate - oh my, nuff said!!  The short rib - probably the table's favorite - it's a bit odd b/c it's huge and not butchered how you usually expect it, but the flavors and the combo with the carrots and cinnamon make for a succulent dish.  Smoked whitefish - a spread on fresh bread topped with pomegranates and  persimmons (imagine a sweet crisp tomato with a soft creamy texture).  Together the flavors are great and the pomegranates pop in your mouth.  

    Yes, then we gorged ourselves with dessert.  Chocolate bread pudding with chicory caramel, honeycomb candy, fudge, smoked pecans, marshmallow,
    & creme fraiche ice cream.  2 scoops Milk Chocolate malt ice-cream: usually not a chocolate ice cream fan and this was like a creamy, but melting malt ball.  2 shooters of Creme di limoncello limoncello mixed with creme?  Oh my, yes please!

    The meal, company, ambiance, service, everything made for a fantastic experience.  Publican, my hats off to you, ya'll are doing something right my friends!

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/17/2012
    1 check-in

    Great Atmosphere good Food.

    Came here on a whim with a good friend for Sunday brunch.  

    Ordered the spicy pork rinds which melted in my mouth! Followed this with the bouchot mussels which that were spot on.

    I do see myself coming here again but will make an effort to reserve a booth.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/22/2011

    I was truly wowed by the food at The Publican.

    Benton Country Ham -- Imagine that bacon and butter met, hooked up, and the result was a soft bacon baby with all the flavor of prosciutto but with a texture like butter. Yeah, this is like that.

    Oysters -- We went with the chef selection -- they were crazy fresh and every oyster was unique tasting, even the weird shriveled-up-looking one was freaking awesome.

    Skate fish -- Served bone-in. This was the highlight of the meal for me. The fish was perfectly cooked, spiced really well, and fell off the bone. I could string together a bunch of adjectives to describe how good it tasted, but instead I'll just leave it at this: I highly recommend eating this.

    Duck Hearts -- Awesome. Like eating tiny little filet minon. Eating the first one felt weird -- it kind of freaked me out to be eating an animal's heart. I kept thinking of that scene in Indiana Jones when the guy rips the other guy's heart out of his chest. After I got over that I couldn't stop eating em.

    Country Ribs -- Had an awesome char on em, tasted more like medium-rare steak to me than pork. By this point in the meal I was getting kind of drunk on all the good beer and craving a solid hunk of meat, so this one really hit the spot.

    Squash -- The only low point of the meal. The actual squash was pretty good but the potato and manchego cheese they stuff it with just didn't work for me.

    Also big ups to the kitchen for the waffle with butter and spiced apples we had for desert. I've never had a waffle that good.

    So as far as The Publican goes, the beer selection is impressive, the food and service was spectacular, and I really like the rustic mixed with modern thing they have going on with the decor. My only real complaint is that they cram as many people as they can into the space.  Maybe we were just sat in a bad place, but I was not a huge fan of being able to hear the entire conversation of the couple next to us (they were boring).

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/19/2011
    Listed in I do brunch

    I came here for brunch and really enjoyed myself.
    I had reservations, when I walked everything went smoothly.  We had a great waitress, and the food was great.  I have no complaints.  

    There are a ton of reviews so I won't bore you with mine, just know you're in for a real treat!

  • 2.0 star rating
    7/14/2011

    Was it the 20-minute wait for our drinks upon sitting? Or was it the family styled sharing that lagged any sort of smart cohesiveness? Maybe it was the over-cooked shrimp and sausage dish, or the bowl of mussels so tiny they needed some spinach to beef them up, or maybe it was the waitress allowing us to under-order for a group of 13. Could it possibly have been the poor sound acoustics (or lack thereof?) that had voices bouncing from floor to ceiling the entire night? Whatever it was, the Publican isn't, and despite 900+ reviews that give this restaurant row darling 4 out of 5 stars - I found the entire evening underwhelming.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/16/2012

    I went here for the first time with my husband today for brunch. He had been to the restaurant a few weeks earlier with some friends and could not wait to enjoy a great meal with me.

    OMG...the bacon was amazing! It was thick, maple-y, and by far the best part of the meal! I had the waffle which was good. I wasn't a huge fan of the raspberry jam, but that's just a personal preference. The waffle itself was unique tasting and the honey butter was pretty tasty as well. My husband was really looking forward to ordering the Schnitzel waffle again, but it wasn't on the menu. The waiter told us that it was only available on Saturdays - how disappointing. My husband enjoyed the meal he got, but I think he would've still preferred the schnitzel...could you blame him?!?!?

    My take away from this restaurant is order two plates of bacon a person - it wasn't big enough to be a meal and then order another side with it.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/4/2011

    I miss the Publican already. Insanely indulgent and delicious. The plates are sized for sampling or for table sharing. My advice is order and sample several dishes, it gets pricey but worth every penny.

    I would give it a 5 star rating if the location was somewhere more convenient. Took a cab ride from Mich. Ave but nothing else in the neighborhood to do after dinner. The communal style seating was also something I didn't expect on my first visit.

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/20/2009

    Wow, there was some serious hype around this place so I had to go.  I was disappointed.  Here is why.

    1) The Food was expensive.  Portions were small and the prices were high.  I dined with 3 other people and the tab ended up being $230 before tip.  We had 3 glasses of wine and two cocktails.  Thats pricey if u ask me.

    2) The waiter was rather pompous.  Most of the staff was good, but when you get a shitty waiter it sucks the life right out of the table.

    3) We were told the dishes were served family style.  They were not.  The only thing family style about the dishes was that they were set in the middle of the table.  Many of the dishes had one bite for each of us leaving us hungry for more (you always need a second bite to really savor the taste).

    4) We had a booth, and the booth had doors on it that made us feel like penned in cattle.  It was a novelty for about 5 mins and then it wore off when we had to get out of the booth.  Stupid idea.

    5) The place was very loud.  I was straining to hear my friends across the table from me. That just kills an evening when you have to use your rusty sign language to communicate.

    6) Dishes were not very imaginative.  Nothing jumped out as us.  The food sounded good, but i don't think there was a dish that would bring me back or rush to tell my friends to come and try it.

    All that being said, the food was ok, as were the cocktails.  If someone else was paying I would go back.  In the meantime, Chicago has a lot of great restaurants and i would prefer to try new places then go back to the Publican.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/12/2011

    I came here for brunch.  I'll admit that it was a pretty intense brunch - and, let me assure you, I am no amateur at brunch.  

    Highly recommend, but come mentally prepared for a very rich meal.  My favorites were the hangar steak and the red wine poached egg.  Also the oysters!  Actually, everything.

  • 3.0 star rating
    11/8/2009

    The Publican is a great place to splurge on exceptional food and elite beer but there are some drawbacks.

    I ate dinner here on Tuesday 20-November-2009. I had a seat at the bar and immediately felt like there should be more room. The bar is only about 12 deep so the plates and glasses really have no where to go. Also, they pack you really close to the people next to you. Its a bit of an uncomfortable position. The gentlemen next to me had the sardines and I waited for them to finish their dish so the odor wouldn't ruin my tuna crudo experience. The place is an audible disaster. I like a buzzing restaurant but it sounded like the old RCA dome in Indianapolis where extra sound is being piped in during Colts games. I never thought a place could be this loud. The noise level was actually painful and distracting at time and I am not exaggerating one bit. Go there on a busy night and you'll completely agree.

    Now on to the food. I had the tuna crudo. I usually hate using superlatives but it was the best piece of fish I have ever eaten. The tuna was a translucent and creamy pink with a consistent texture and divine flavor. The pistachios and pickled lemon were an excellent compliment to the fish. I could have eaten 3 orders of the tuna crudo.

    The pork rillettes could have been much better. I know a rillette is supposed to have lots of salt but this dish had a mouth puckering amount. It was definately more than other rillettes I have had. The cherries seemed to be a separate component of the dish. I would have like to have seen the cherries chopped to make a kind of relish to use on the toast so you can get the pork and cherry on each bite. Otherwise it was just an OK dish.

    This was the first time I had sweetbreads so I really have no comparison. I found there to be a great amount of flavor and texture in the hearty serving of sweetbreads themself. I felt the outer coating should have been crisiper to contrast the gooeyness of the actual sweetbreads. The mushrooms were a great savory compliment. It was an overall good dish.

    The service was very good but not without criticism. My server Paul, had an exceptional amount of knowledge of the food and beer. He claimed to be working in the industry for 25 years and it showed. He did however bring me a different beer than what I ordered. I don't know if it was his fault or the result of the audible tsunami behind him. He did try to steer me to the tubot and other side items to increase my bill. I know its their job to do that but it get annoying especially when i was already dropping a good amount of money. Paul did give me a few extra tastings of beers and a beautiful fortified malbec that was like a good desert port. I was pretty happy with his service.

    The Publican is a high quality restaurant, there is no doubt of that. However, there are a few things that need to be improved to make it exceptional. I may or may not go back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/10/2012

    I just had my first trip to The Publican.  It has great food, a great beer list, and top notch service-- not sure what more I could ask for.

    We had a seafood heavy meal, and loved everything.  We started with winter squash, which was served with quinoa and crispy kale.  It sounds so simple, but it might have been my favorite thing we ordered.  Next we had socca with smoked arctic char.  The char was perfect.  It would have been too small to share with more than two people, but it was a perfect small dish for my husband and I.  We shared a half order of mussels.  They came with a generous portion of crusty bread, which was amazing to soak up the broth.  The pumpkin swordfish was my husband's favorite.  It had a great crust, and we both loved the rapini, and peppers with the fish.

    We had a couple of beers, my favorite one was some kind of maple something, I wish I remembered.  It wasn't really sweet, it just had a spiced flavor I loved.  

    The waitstaff was incredibly attentive and detailed.  The dishes came out with perfect timing, and out waiter was really knowledgeable about the whole menu, including the beer/wine list.  I'd definitely recommend The Publican for a fun date night.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/6/2013

    I probably would have given this place five stars if I came for another meal, but as it stands breakfast there was delicious (though somewhat pricey, but you should know that coming into the Publican).  We got there right when it opened on a Sunday so we didn't have to wait (because we didn't have a reservation).  The communal tables are a little odd to get used to, but it's an interesting concept.
    I got a bloody mary that was super spicy and full of delicious things--you definitely need to order one!  It comes with a beer accompaniment so you will be sufficiently drunk.  In our group, we got the torta ahogada (very moist pulled pork), bucatini alla carbonara (pork belly, of course), and sirloin steak, and none of us were disappointed.  
    The restaurant feels very warm (in terms of decor, not temperature) because of all the wood, and it was nice sitting close to the kitchen to see them all at work.  The service isn't overly friendly (which I've come to expect from Chicago), so don't expect them to go out of their way for you.  They aren't mean, though--it was still an enjoyable experience.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/26/2011

    Solid Spot.  We were able to get a seat outside on a Saturday night at 6p.m. without reservations or a wait (outside tables are walk-in only).   the food is excellent and reasonable prices.

    - Pickles (as odd as that sounds) were delicious, very fresh tasting
    - loved the hamachi
    - The spicy steak tartare was one of my favorite dishes
    - Pork belly is a must as well

    Overall every dish we ordered was fantastic, great flavors.  Beer list is fantastic as well (no cocktail menu, only beer & wine).

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/22/2009 Updated review
    1 check-in

    I was back for dinner and fell in love with The Publican all over again.  (Oh, and I asked, it's not Poo-blican, but Publican - like an Irish pub-goer)  
    I had a Shigoku oyster, which was the best oyster I've had in my life!  We shared the White Anchovies with Potatoes, Rosemary and Chili - delicious and reminded me of eating seafood on the coast in Italy.  For dinner I split the Whole Farm Chicken with Frites with a friend and we both really enjoyed it.  The fries were some of the best I've ever had - perfectly crispy.  I'm not sure what they marinate the chicken in other than olive oil, but it was very tasty and I ate the leftovers for days.  :)

    5.0 star rating
    4/13/2009 Previous review
    This is one of my new all-time favorite brunch spots!!!  I went for Easter brunch with a couple of… Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    10/29/2011

    I've never had such a great brunch in my entire life.  Even before digging into my meal, I took a picture of my food that, based on its responses from Facebook, could have earned a 4-star review based on just looks.

    Came with a group of around 10 friends towards the end of the brunch service, 1:30 on Sunday.  We were a little bummed to hear that they had run out of Publican bacon (noooooo) but we washed away our sorrows with the unique "publican mimosa", made from a weiss beer rather than champagne.

    I had the most wonderful pork belly bibimbop that totally blew me away.  I had never expected a dish to be so savory, so spicy, and so gorgeous all at once.  The egg was perfectly fried, with a slightly runny yellow, that when combined with the perfectly tender seasoned pork belly was heavenly.  If it seems like I'm using too excited of words now, you should have heard me while I was eating this!

    The best part about the experience was the perfect level of service.  Our waiter was extremely patient, made many recommendations, made sure that our glasses were never empty (including coffee), and otherwise was great. The cherry on top, though, was not adding her own automatic gratuity, something I never would have believed for a group this size.  Thankfully the group agreed with me and we tipped far more than she would ever have mandated.

    All I can say is that I can't wait to bring more of my friends and family in here- I've got quite the backlog after just a simple photo of bibimbop!

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/6/2011
    1 check-in
    Listed in A Week in Chicago

    We asked a lot of this place.  You see, we were a little early, just a little early, for a dinner reservation a few blocks away.  And we were in town for just a week.  And we waltzed in without a reservation during prime drinking hour and asked for a seat in the bar.

    We were whisked to stand at a table, and during this horribly busy time, we managed to extract a charcuterie plate and two beers and the check in the space of about ten minutes.  Our extremely busy server did not even seem to mind all the questions we asked about the food and drink options, despite our rather rushed schedule.  Plus we got all the water we wanted.

    The charcuterie was really excellent ( they are in basically the meatpacking district after all ), the beer selection was equally excellent.  We could have happily spent the night.  And we made it to our reservation with plenty of time to spare.

    Given this short, sweet experience, we would definitely come back for a longer treatment, if we ever find ourselves back in town.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/6/2013

    I went to the Publican with high expectations, so perhaps that's why I'm not giving it 5 stars. However, the food overall was great! I guess I keep comparing all my meals to the four amazingggg appetizers I split with my guy at Paris Club for $50 total...so I know I can eat well without us spending a fortune :)

    So, we split a bottle of wine so can't comment on the cocktails. They were out of the calamari (we didn't go until 9:30 so they run out of things as the night goes on...which they cross off the menu so you're aware) so they suggested the octopus and WOW--it was outstanding! We also had the scallops which were very good, but I remember it being a bit costly for only 4 pieces of scallop.   The red snapper was INCREDIBLE--one of the chefs filleted the whole fish in front of us, and it was mouth watering (albeit for $36).  The sorbet (apple) was nothing special but okay.  Overall, I would say, one dish each will leave you hungry, so just be ready to spend a good amount of money (~$50/person) to leave satisfied. Heard great things about the meat but we were in a seafood mood, so will have to go back to try that some time...

    --Signed, starving grad student trying to hang with the big kids who make money! haha

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/24/2011

    I've been to the Publican several times now, but only for brunch. I'm excited to go to dinner in the near future!

    I absolutely LOVE brunch here! The food is delicious. The red wine poached egg with prosciutto (which lots of people on Yelp love, I see) is amazing. I also love their breakfast sandwich and mussels. The last time I went with a friend, he didn't love the steak and eggs, but enjoyed everyone else's food.

    To top it off their drinks and coffee are great too. The bloody marys with corresponding beer chasers are a perfect start to the day.

    The wait staff is friendly and I love the open-air atmosphere with lots of light.

    Yay Publican!

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/5/2011

    This place has a huge beer list and good food.  I highly recommend that you make reservations and ask for a pen (as opposed to the communal table).  Or, come near the end of the night and you might be able to score one.

    Here's what you should order:

    -Pork belly:  Really really good.  Just don't think about the calories
    -Mussels:  Huge bowl with cream sauce and tasty.  Use the table bread and sop up the juices
    -Anything from the beer list

    Other
    Fries:  Pretty good
    Oysters:  Okay, but not for the price.  Maybe I've just gotten used to better deals.

    This place is packed.  Make reservations and be prepared to spend a lot of $ because it's expensive.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/26/2012

    There's already a lot of reviews about The Publican's meats, but I want to give a shout-out to the fish courses and the veggies. Although the selections were limited, they were delicious and not an after thought. And as a former food-service slave who has worked in several kitchens, I thought it was great that I could buy beer for them (and not just tip the waitstaff).

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/23/2011
    Listed in Chicago Chomp.

    2 of my boyfriend's favorite things are beer and pork, so with his birthday coming up, i set out in search of a restaurant i knew he'd love. his best friend and wife were also coming into town to celebrate, so i wanted to pick a fun place and after some research landed on the publican. right away we liked the atmosphere, which had a fun beer hall feel.

    we started with a chef's tasting of the oysters, which were very fresh...my personal favorite was the peter's point...yum! then we chose a variety of dishes from the menu to share, which i would definitely recommend...
    -taste of 3 hams (delicious! lots of flavors, pork loving bf was extremely happy)
    -spicy pork rinds...a must! SO good. perfectly crispy and spicy. mmm.
    -blood sausage...our most adventurous choice. i've seen anthony bordain rave about it in every country, so was dying to try it...and you know what? it was pretty good! interesting texture and good sausage-y flavor!
    -little gem salad....delicious! i had never eaten pig ears, but they were crispy and flavorful!
    -lamb meatballs- holy god. i will DREAM about this plate. it was SO good. honestly, we were talking about it the next day. the spices, the tender lamb...omg!

    overall, the communal tables can get a little tight, but i thought it created a fun atmosphere. and it was affordable to boot! definitely a must-go in chicago. we had a great time at the publican!

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/5/2013

    LOVE the food, great beer list, beautiful presentation.  Rillette was amazing, as was the seasonal salad.  Beautiful atmosphere.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/9/2012
    1 check-in

    Absolute favorite chitown place. On a pricy side but honestly - more than worth it. Good place to take guests, personal or business.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/29/2011
    2 check-ins

    Came here for Sunday brunch as I was in the neighborhood, and it was a treat! I'm not much of a bloody mary person, but they look fantastic here, and feedback from my friend confirmed that. We had to wait a little while by the bar where they started our drinks (I only had coffee).

    After we were seated, I took a better look at the place, which had a very odd set-up for its booths and almost a mess-hall set up with a long table carrying through the place. Very unique and trendy.

    I ended up ordering the red wine poached eggs, which were served with side greens and prosciutto ham. The eggs were to die for. A perfect blend of flavors, and the bread they served them on (benedict style) soaked up the egg and sauce so wonderfully. What a treat.

    If only our waitress was a bit more attentive. It took a while for us to get our food, and my coffee was left empty for too long despite being right next to the station that holds the coffee pots. I should have just refilled it myself. Ha.

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/31/2011

    *SIGH*  I was really looking forward to our first, long overdue visit for brunch.  

    As we sat there, I struggled with what I would rate The Publican.  

    We were seated quickly upon mentioning our reservation, coffee was promptly poured, and then we waited....and waited....and waited.

    Our server briefly stopped by to introduce himself before darting off.  We should have known to desperately shout "WE KNOW WHAT WE WANT! PUH-LLEEEEEZ DON'T LEAVE!!"  But alas, we waited another 10-15 minutes before we were graced with his presence once more.

    By this time, we were fresh out of coffee and starving since it was almost 11:30, 30 minutes after we'd arrived.  

    After begging to order, begging for more coffee, begging for Splenda, and begging for cream...I was starting to resent all the begging I was doing and wonder where my cardboard sign was and my Dunkin' Donuts coffee cup that I could jingle with spare change as all the patrons and servers walked by.  Is this really what it's like to be homeless in Chicago....?

    Our food finally arrived, nearly an hour after we arrived.  All I can say, is the presentation was pretty.  That's about where the good things ended.  I had chosen the red wine poached eggs and the BF had the artic char.  We both agreed the entrees were way, way, WAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY over salted.  It was almost like Morton Salt Girl herself was back in the kitchen cooking up with her *secret ingredient.*

    The theme with waiting didn't stop after we received our food.  Even after it was obvious we were done, we still had to wait another 15 minutes for the check.

    Overall, I'd skip it.  There are plenty of other dee-lish places in Chicago where you can brunch in less than hour (without getting swollen ankles from all the salt).

    Verdict is still out on whether the dinner items are the food of Gods.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/6/2012
    1 check-in

    excellent food, service was ok but it was very crowded so understandable that service was a bit slow.  We had the rillette of duck and pork and it was absulutely perfect as was the frites with 2 fried eggs.   We had a bolitto misto and sirloin steak and they were both perfectly cooked and had a great flavor.  Overall an awesome experience.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/9/2011
    1 check-in

    We really enjoyed our meal here. The atmosphere is very open; the communal seating is great for groups, I imagine, but even for couples it's nice. With your proximity to others, you get a great chance to see what others order, and we had a friendly group next to us inquire about our meals.

    The ribs were amazing. (I also love the fact that there is a place to wash your hands outside of the bathrooms.)

    One nitpick that I have is about the obnoxious menu. I just found it a pain to read, and I'm not sure if memory serves perfectly here, but I think that the server said something about the portion sizes getting bigger as you go down the list? That's hard, as you try to weigh what sounds tasty against how much you think you can down. Also, for people that like to read about a place's offerings ahead of time (as I do), the website differs from the printed menu in person.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/27/2011

    Weird, I wrote a review, but it disappeared. I'll keep it short.

    This place is pronounced Publican like Republican, not like Pubic Bone.

    Oysters awesome.  Waiter gave great recommendations for everything.  'Homemade' Lambic beer was way too sour, almost undrinkable - he tried to warn me.

    Sweetbreads and brains had a similar flavor/texture - preferred the sweetbreads.

    Pork rinds great - esp for sharing.

    Really should've tried more of the pork dishes - like belly and other.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/23/2013

    One of the better meals I have had the pleasure to enjoy! The menu is right up my ally, oysters and meat. Would recommend to anyone looking to treat themselves to a dinning EXPERIENCE.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/5/2011

    What a fantastic concept for a restaurant. I went here for a group birthday dinner, and was wowed by the decor, food and libations. The beer hall style seating, large open interior and high ceilings are nearly evocative of a medieval church or stable. The extensive beer menu gives you something to do while you wait for your seat at the communal table and the staff is very helpful. Dishes are either pork or fish and because I was with a large group, I had the chance to sample most of the dishes.

    The oysters, mussels and frites were delicious. We were brought complimentary spicy pork rinds - something I never would venture out on my own to try - but were surprisingly tasty.  The pork dishes were deliciously flavorful and fatty.   While there are vegetables on the menu (brussel sprouts were delicious), this heavy meat and seafood-based menu is not for the faint of heart. Be sure to ask the waiter for recommendations, or else you may end up regretting your choices.  It's ideal for sharing, but is easy to order too much.

    I'm still dreaming of these mussels and impatiently waiting for the next occasion/excuse to return here.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 1.0 star rating
    1/20/2013

    This place jumped the shark...one of the worst meals I've ever had

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/13/2011
    1 check-in

    It's taken a while to get here...but OH worth the wait, So Good!!!

    Started with Oysters.
    LOVE the pork rinds, wow.
    Pickles
    Pork Belly, melt in your mouth.
    Trout, which was really really delicious.
    The beer menu is impressive, although we enjoyed a nice bottle of wine

    This space is very cool, we were lucky to get a table for 2 up front at the window, downside...it was right behind the server station...but I think I'd rather that then share at the communal tables in the center.
    The larger booths looked quite comfortable as well.

    It is definitely Loud, doesn't make for an intimate evening, but really the food was delicious and service was strong.

    Looking forward to going back!
    Cheers!

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/25/2011
    1 check-in

    I'm the umpteenth person who has reviewed The Publican, but I'm happy to add to its praises.

    The vibe of the place is awesome. It's hip without pretension, it's homey and cool and you just want to sit there and settle in.

    We had no problems with the service. Our server was knowledgeable, helpful, friendly, and just generally cool.

    The food was impeccable. We had the chef's choice oysters, the trio of hams, steak tartare, frites, mussels and one of their desserts. Everything was ridiculously awesome.

    The return plotting has already begun...

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/15/2012

    Really good beer list.  Great environment.  Open room with German Beer hall feel.  Fantastic food - we had Country Rib, Peppers, Ham plate and French Fries with egg.  All good.  Wish we got "box" seating but know for next time.  Attentive staff and good service all around.  Winning.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/24/2011
    1 check-in

    Went for dinner recently and was impressed.  We had a 9 pm reservation and were seated promptly.  Very comfortable, casual atmosphere.  As others have mentioned, it's very loud in here, almost annoyingly so.  But the food makes up for it.

    We started with the chef's selection of oysters.  Incredibly fresh and delicious, I could have done another round.  Then came the charcuterie plate which was quite enjoyable.  We also had the spicy pork rinds which I ordered because of all the raves on here.  They were so addicting!  Just the right amount of spice and crunch.  We finished with the mussels which were served in a very tasty broth.

    At this point, I was pretty full and wasn't planning on ordering dessert until the waitress handed us the menu and I saw this toasted rosemary cake with Valrhona chocolate gelato.  Yes, please!  And oh my gosh, was it amazing.  Like one-of-the-best-desserts-I've-ever-had amazing.  Who would have thought it?  Not me.  It was one of their specials as it's not on the permanent menu but it should be.  Wow.

    They also have a fantastic beer selection.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/13/2013

    Went for brunch, our party had the side of maple bacon, the sugar ham & grits dish, the arctic char salad, and the pork belly pasta. Bacon was amazing, ham was amazing. The others were good, but definitely the bacon and the ham dish was the standout.

    The restaurant itself is very pretty with rows of lights above, really well designed.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/15/2013

    My favorite restaurant in Chicago! I go here for the oysters and the pork, usually 2-3 times a year, especially for celebratory evenings. Super friendly, knowledgeable staff, great environment with the communal seating as well as the enclosed 4 top tables with the wooden door/gate and nice wine and beer selection. Great for a group or date spot. Love that they have some adventuresome, creative dishes as well as some classic with a twist items and use seasonal ingredients.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/15/2011

    Pork Belly was amazing. South African wine was delish. They even made a special vegan salad for my girlfriend.
    Fantastic atmosphere. Feels like the epicenter of the West Loop.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/12/2011

    As a visitor from the Porkopolis (that's Cincinnati, people), I found myself terribly disappointed that we've been shown up by Chicago.

    The Publican does pork perfectly. You guys can keep your oysters because when larger than life paintings of pigs adorn the walls, I know where Paul Kahan's devotion lies: the lowly swine.

    We arrived half an hour early but were cheerfully greeted and shown to our table immediately. Our waiter quickly appeared (I don't believe he ever gave us his name), told us about the menu and beer list and left us to peruse the day's offerings which, unfortunately, did not include the pork rinds. Our disappointment soon vanished, though, with the arrival of The Taste of Three Hams, which sounds like a demented fairy tale and tastes like a dream.

    Little did we know that things were about to get even better.

    Next, we were presented with the pork belly. The acid in the broth and the tomatoes is the perfect counterpoint to the fat of the pork belly. It was tender and roasted so that the crisp layer around the outside was caramelized and oh-so-lovely. Dreams of that pork belly will haunt me now and forevermore.

    What would have been a four out of five review became a solid five due solely to the pork belly dish. It's just that delicious.

    The lamb sausage is also tasty. Served in a curried yogurt with fresh, green chickpeas and carrots, it is spicy and savory and so good. We also had the farm chicken with summer sausage and frites, which were good, but after the pork belly (the pork belly!) and lamb sausage, it was not exactly the highlight of our dinner.

    For our sides, we had the daily pickles which pair perfectly with pork. We also opted for the shaved brussels sprouts with grilled onions, lemon and mint.

    Word to the wise: do not skip the shaved brussels sprouts. This side dish was absolutely fantastic.

    As for the service, it was flawless even though our waiter was a bit awkward at times. Our water glasses were never empty, one beer glass was quickly replaced with another and aside from an inexplicable lag in the arrival of the farm chicken, our plates came out one right after the other.

    I don't know what anyone else is talking about with regard to the value. We left The Publican perfectly sated and very happy with our evening. For three people, six beers, four plates to share and two vegetables, with tip our dinner was under $150. Seems fair to me.

    Do yourself a favor, do not skip the pork at The Publican. In the hands of Paul Kahan and his capable crew, the pig does indeed become (to quote Homer Simpson) "some magical animal."

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/27/2011

    Great sea food here...
    and moderate portions. The atmosphere is great. there are tables that you can stand on and eat/drink.
    friendly stuff and I wouldn't suggest this for a romantic dinner! its a bit loud and lots of lighting :P

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/10/2012
    Listed in Brunch

    Been here for brunch twice with different groups. In one word - AWESOME. I love the atmosphere, location, and the menu is unbelievable. I didn't hear a single complaint about anything from anyone that I was with. The drinks were delicious, service was impeccable, and the food was more than satisfying. Both times we went without a reservation and both times I was given the booth I requested (remember, impeccable service). The waits were as you'd expect at such a popular restaurant, but get there early to shorten it as much as possible.

    Try the waffles!

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/24/2011

    Went here for brunch as part of Grubwithus and I have to say it was downright delish. I love bacon and the bacon they served was the best I've ever had. I was sad that I only got one piece. The honey butter on the waffle was so mouthwateringly (not a word, I know) amazing that I would buy a vat of it and put it on everything I eat. The pork belly was super tender, the pumpkin cream donut was heavenly, the red wine poached egg hit the spot, and oh yeah, the omelette was fab.

    Maybe one day I'll get to try dinner, but for now I can say brunch was the bee's knees.

    The one star off was because it was super loud in there. I felt like I had to almost shout to be heard.

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/8/2013

    went here the other night for maybe the 15th time over the past couple years. publican is still a staple venue (namely for the excellent bloodies for brunch) when i have guests in from out of town but i am never "wowed" by my experience. partly because i've been seated at the small two top right at the entrance of the dining room on multiple occasions. we went on a sunday night...the place was near empty and this is where we are seated?! meh. i'd have preferred a booth and should have spoke up, but didn't.

    plate of ham is always delish. as are the fries with the egg (though I'd prefer them served in the small metal cone as opposed to the huge plate they are now being served on). chicken was salty...it usually is. and the wine list is so-so. i stuck with my usual Tito's.

    may stick to brunch but will go elsewhere for dinner next time.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/7/2011

    This place was pretty awesome, but while it is bench style dining, it was pretty cramped.  

    To start, the mussels were divine.  We ordered the fish stew, and while it was amazing, I wish the waiter had told us that it's a lot like the mussels taste/presentation-wise.  

    The waffle for desert was ok, but not what the waiter hyped it up to be.

    The busboy accidentally knocked over very garlicky aioli all over me.  What I was most impressed by was the way the restaurant handled the situation.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/13/2011 Updated review

    Was able to go out last min, went to Publican last night because I felt like some small plates and a few brew.

    The blood sausage was great, eat it while it is still warm, it's soft and melt in your mouth, this is the first time I had a blood sausage that "fresh"

    I saw matsutake  mushroom on the menu, and it is from Washington area, I didn't know they grow them there also, I had always bought them from Canada.  Matsutake mushroom has a distinct flavor and it's a Japanese favorite.  This is the season for it.  It was sauteed with some kind of squash, personally I think the ingredients used and the way it was cook was too overpowering to this delicate mushroom, so it did not quite bring out the true unique flavor of the mushroom.  The Japanese usually use the mushroom in a light broth, or cooked with rice.  The more simple the better.  

    The usual mussel and some daily pickle, a few glasses of English Cyder and i was a happy man.

    MKL

    5.0 star rating
    11/3/2011 Previous review
    We had been going to the Publican for many years now and I don't know why it took me this long to… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    3/7/2011
    1 check-in

    My Publican patronage brought forth two realizations concerning food. 1. Although I appreciate and respect shellfish, I actually hated eating oysters. 2. Despite normally being a medium steak kind of guy I was kind of weirded out by the steak tartar. It tasted fine...but something about straight raw beef after being raised eating well-done just doesn't sit right.

    The lighting was warm, the centralized washroom sink was cool, and the decor was inviting. All of the staff we interacted with were extremely friendly (although they were a bit salesperson-y at times). Apparently $$$ restaurants offer primarily beers that aren't always the easiest to find and because of this carry higher price tags.

    I think the highlights for me had to be the fisherman's stew (which went over great with all 6 at the table) and the country ribs. Most of the dishes we ordered were split amongst 6 people and with all of us having interest in trying many dishes we slowly watched as the bill rose exponentially. Good overall experience. I would definitely recommending checking it out at least once.

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/22/2011

    The 1000th review! Do I win a prize? Strobe lights & sirens just started going in my living room as I write this.

    Had dinner on a recent trip.  Expected to be really focused on the meats, but actually found everything vegi-centric to be tops!  Pleasant surprise.  Beer & wine list was great.

    Atmosphere was a little too casual for my taste, part of this trend sweeping the nation where we are all coming to learn that great food can be had in backless seats and on hard wood benches.  Yes, the food tastes good and the uber casual waitstaff are friendly enough, but sometimes when I go out to dinner I want to feel like it's a special experience in a special place.  This is like going to dinner at a friend's farmhouse, which is fine, but just not always what I want.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/16/2010

    Beer.  Pig.  More beer.  More pig.  Beer and pig forever!!!  

    All beer and pig aside, what a memorable experience this was.  Although I foiled a surprise trip to Chicago, this meal was a surprise unto itself.  The bf planned ahead and got us reservations to the All Michigan Beer Dinner.  For its monthly dinner, Publican paired up with Michigan brewery New Holland, got lots of Michigan produce, and created an amazing pre-fix meal with complimentary beer pairings.  The master brewer was there and went around to each table saying hello and telling customers a bit about the brewery.  Classy!

    Our starter was, you guessed it, beer!  A Full Circle kolsch, which was almost refreshing in its taste.  Slightly hoppy.  It wet my palate for the deliciousness to come!

    First course was chevre' with radishes, burgundy truffles and honey.  This might have been my favorite part of the meal.  The chevre was so so soooo delicious.  Creamy, a little sweet, paired with the crunchiness of radishes and celery root.  Perfect.  With it we were served a Beerhive tripel, which tasted and smelled like honey!  

    Second course: whitefish fry, sweet potatoes, mustard greens and meyer lemon.  Basically a fancy and way delicious fish and chips without the chips.  The citrus from the greens went well with the fish which might have been the best fried fish I have ever had.  Served with a Golden Cap saison.  Hoppy deliciousness.

    Third course: smoked turkey galantine, turnips, pickled cranberries, peanuts, and claytonia.  Sounds like a weird combo, but it rocked.  The turkey was super flavorful.  I loved the different textures of this course--soft meat with crunchy nuts and veggies.  Served with New Holland's Hopivore brew (essentially an IPA but way better).

    The fourth course was a favorite in our group.  Grilled ham, brussels sprouts, chestnuts and apples.  I usually hate ham, but not Publican's ham!  Such a great flavor combination in this dish.  And who knew I loved brussel sprouts??  It was served with NH's Dragons Milk brew.  A lot darker than the other tastings, with an almost chocolate taste.  Super flavorful without a lot of carbonation.

    Finally, dessert!  A squash crostada with maple ice cream, farmer's cheese and candied bacon.  WOW this is one of the best desserts ever!!  I have been wanting to try bacon as dessert for a while now, and this did not disappoint.  Crunchy, salty and sweet...yum!  The crostada was perfect--flaky crust and sweet squash.  I do wish the crostada was served warm instead of at room temperature, but it was so good I'll let this one slide.  Paired with the NH Charkoota Rye.  Definitely the most interesting beer of the bunch.  Basically tasted like smoked bacon because they aged the beer in smoked casks.  Pretty cool!

    So needless to say I liked the food.  I also really dug the mood.  Dimmed, hanging circular lights lining the entire ceiling.  Big, open dining room.  And the booths are designed like pig troughs, which basically means there is a faux gate to get in and out of your table.  Didn't allow for a lot of air flow, but I like when restaurants try to shake it up.  The fat pig paintings on the walls made for a good chuckle.  Service was great too.  I will definitely make Publican a regular stop when I'm in town.

  • 3.0 star rating
    11/6/2012

    Came here for dinner and it's a decent meal. The followings are what I had:

    Taste of 3 Ham (You should get it if you come here)
    Little Gem Salad
    Sweet Bread - nicely balanced
    Veal Tartar
    Scallop - scallop was definitely over cooked (rubbery) but good flavor

    In terms of the food, I like how it's simple food but carries great flavor. Aside from the scallop mishap, the rest of the dinner was decent. I'd definitely come back for brunch/lunch though as their menu is different.

    I have to note, service here is very tentative and they'll take care of you.

    Lastly, they've got a great beer selection.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/20/2011

    Publican has had a lot of hype since it has been open.  And I love bacon.  So why hadn't I been before? I didn't want to leave hungry (which can happen when everything is meant for sharing and you sit opposite your 6'4'' 230lb fiance). I hate driving on Fulton because I always get lost and think I am never going to find my way back to my car. The menu is scarily meat-tastic.

    Concerns aside, I did a quick clothing change from Anne Hathaway in Love And Other Drugs to Anne Hathaway in Devil Wears Prada for our sporadic dinner date last Wednesday. And cabbed it there to avoid the navigational headache.

    As I walk into the blonde wood floor-to-ceiling minimalistic room, I feel at home. Not uppity, which is a nice change of pace for such a "popular" restaurant. A little country/frat boy with the mens clientele style; hey there plaid overload! But a really nice, friendly, laid back ambiance. It's like their food is so good, they don't have to act pretentious about it!

    The little things that mattered:
    *Every chair in the restaurant has a "basket" underneath it.  For your purse, sunglasses, jacket, or wine list. So clever!
    *Beer and wine list seventeen times longer than the food menu - they have their priorities straight!
    *Servers are so well trained - know the menu in and out, have all the details, and don't just say "its amazing" but actually describe the menu.
    *6 rows of modern hanging white ball lanterns give the perfect amount of soft lighting

    Food Order:
    Oysters: Two Washington and one Rockefeller, served with a vinegar sauce. What's really nice is you can order a-la-carte (many places require minimum orders).

    Sugar Snap Pea Salad: Oh deliciousness. Its such a clean, fresh, summery salad with just a hint of richness with the ricotta. Sugar snap peas, whole grains of quinoa, large slices of celery, and a light citrus coating.

    Soft Shell Crab: You really do eat the entire shell, but its nice and crispy. The chick peas as the accompaniment were just gorgeous in flavor and texture. My least favorite of our order, but still very good - its hard when everything is! (NOTE: if you are allergic to nuts, there can be almonds in the red sauce)

    Sweetbreads: Where have I been?  I was expecting bread with caramelized onions and sweet balsamic reduction or something. Wrong.  This is meat!  It is a pigs gland (sounds gross, hence calling it sweetbread) which I'm glad I didn't know until after I ate it.  It was actually sweet and crispy, looks like a half chicken, and was absolutely divine. Just don't expect any carbs or bread cause they
    aren't here.

    Farm Half Chicken: Signature dish for a reason! This is something to come back for. We got the HALF order which is enough for a regular meal for two people. It is so juicy, tender, and spiced. And the fries are thick cut crispy and delicious.

    Country Half Ribs: Although they don't necessarily look like ribs, they do TASTE like ribs.  Being a Kansas City native, I am pretty picky, and these definitely passed!

    Just call me Ms. Piggy.  I'm cool with it, and can't wait to get back again ASAP!

    (Side Note: While I feel this is a fabulous guy-night meeting location because of the awesome beer list, there aren't TVs so don't go on nights for big sporting events)

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/16/2011

    On a normal night, two Alpha King Pale Ales, a tube of pork rinds, a plate of pickles, and a GIANT plate piled with ham (three types) would be more then enough food.  I'd probably get the meat sweats and fall asleep on the cab ride home.  

    This night, it was just the appetizer because I followed it up with an ENTIRE CHICKEN.  And two more Alpha Kings.  

    I'm not sure why my wife and I ordered so much on our first trip to the Publican, but I ended up gaining seven pounds from this meal alone.

    The food is good - nothing amazing but delicious, fresh, and carefully prepared.  Service was pretty solid and the atmosphere was unique and fun (think modern German farm/bar).  The beer list is great but I was expecting a little more variety on the draft list.  Overall, it's a great experience for a pretty decent price.  

    But be careful with how much you order because you WILL eat everything that ends up on your table.

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/17/2011

    Sunday brunch was unimpressive.

    Only memorable item was the sticky bun...best bun I've ever tasted. Soft, sticky, sweet, buttery greatness. I would rate this place 4-5 stars on this bun but they had to ruin it with the brunch items.

    Pork rinds were over salted/seasoned. Ham and eggs were okay...nothing unique. Bacon was nice and thick but again just okay.

    Also, I get the whole rustic place vibe but wine in a glass cup? Maybe a beer would have been better.

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/13/2011

    After much fanfare we took the stroll for some much needed brunch.  My word of the day seems to be "meh..."

    After a brief wait we were seated admist the communal tables.  While a great idea in theory the tables minimize conversation of two people when a roaring party of 10 sits next door.  Dislike.

    Another issue of the tables came up when Mr. Man having ordered coffee searched for some sugar that was just barely within reach if he could reach over that lady.  And now I need some butter, sorry to interrupt your story but could you pass me some?  Dislike.

    With a glass of oj and a plate of lox I was ready to conquer... wait my food is gone.  While my salmon, goat cheese, beets and mircrogreens were tasty the portion was small.  Being of the ravenous noon eaters group I was highly dissapointed that for such a high price, the take was bad.  Dislike.

    In the end the food was good though the portions small, the atmosphere was rocking for groups of people and when I saw the bill.  Eek.  Me thinks I will stop for a donut on the way home.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/29/2013
    1 check-in

    Another great Chicago food experience!

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/2/2013

    Love this place, cool and relaxed. The staff and patrons are very friendly. The food and beer is amazing. It can be pretty loud due to its popularity.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/31/2011

    This place is fun!

    The long tables, huge chairs, and family-style seating and serving give the Publican a rustic feel that is easy to slip into on a Saturday night...

    The mussels that accompanied a hot French-style baguette rolled in paper was our table's favourite. The skate wing? Not so much.  And if you're a pork fan, the menu can offer options galore.

    GREAT beer list, too!

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/24/2012

    Delicious food, knowledgeable waitstaff, great drink selection.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/6/2010
    2 check-ins

    FAMOUS FOR (My rating in paren)
    - Oysters (Chef Selection) 6/10
    - Spicy Pork Rinds (9/10)
    - Pork Belly (6/10)
    - Ham Chop (5/10)

    I ALSO TRIED
    - Porkette (11/10)

    A group of friends and I used to visit a hype-filled restaurant every month, but about a year ago, it sort of fizzled, but thank God, it's starting again! We had our re-joining event at The Publican for October, and I brought along with me about a year's worth of pent up anxiety to eat Chicago's best, and a whole platter of hype!

    What's different about the hype this time, though, is that instead of a thousand people telling me how great this place was, it was really only 1-2 people telling me how phenomenally spectacular this place was. There was no end to their raves (it was like me being the only person to tell you how life-changing 554 is)! So, when it was announced that we're going to The Publican, I was in a wreck just waiting to go!

    SPICY PORK RINDS
    I HATE pork rinds! I knew like 2 people in my entire life that actually liked pork rinds, and on maybe 10 different occasions, I bought pork rinds at the store, had one, spit it out, and then cursed those friends! BUT, considering that there's a huge amount of hype of Publican's pork rinds, we ordered 'em (and plus it's $5, you can't lose)! I took a bite and instantly, I knew it was different. It was crispy and airy, instead of just dense. The taste was pretty good (more on that later), but it finished well, which is where normal pork rinds suck. You get a very small bit of that skin feeling, but it's really minimal and it dissolves fast enough where it doesn't detract from the experience. So all in all, texture wise, it feels like a little less crispy prawn chip (Asian snack) with a minimal pork-rindish skin finish.

    Taste? Well, it's nice 'n' mild. It has a very mild mild hint of pork flavor (like a pork chop) on the chip itself. There's like mini cheese crumble looking things sprinkled all over. It wasn't salty, but just enough to satisfy, and it's not a "salt" salty, but like a cheese-salty. At the first chip, after being relieved it wasn't like your normal pork rind, I didn't think it was really all that. But as I had more, it got really addicting! By the end, I was thinking, it'd be awesome if they had like little 8'x8' huts all over the city that just sold Publican pork rinds!

    OYSTERS
    I like oysters, but I'm no connoisseur. I like them with cocktail sauce, horseradish, and Tabasco. These come with a vinegar cup thing, and it was ok, but I just wished for my normal sauce concoction. I had the Chef Selection, and honestly, they all tasted the same. But seriously, don't take my word for it!

    PORK BELLY & HAM CHOP
    These are separate dishes, but pretty similar. Pork Belly tasted like very tender ham. Ham chop is like a very thick (1-1.5") slice of Honey Baked Ham! Honestly, I thought both of them tasted a little better than Honey Baked Ham, but the difference was that the texture was really good on both of these. I've never had such a thick piece of ham like the Ham Chop, but it was moist and tender. Texture aside, it was just ham.

    PORKETTE
    I don't know how we ended up getting this. It's NOT on the menu, and the waitress said it's seasonal (later parts of the year). This is the last thing that came out for us, and I have to say, up to this point, I was very disappointed with The Publican. The only thing that delivered was the $5 pork rinds! The rest of it, I wouldn't know if you replaced my free Christmas meat with Publican's. But then, this unassuming plate came out...

    Simply put, it's a gigantic pork chop. It's about 1-1.5" thick, and 1/3 of it is just fat! But let me tell you, when I took a bite of this, my eyes opened really wide (and I'm Korean so that's a big deal!) and I sort of forgot where I was and what I was eating for the past hour. That little bite that I took was consuming my whole mind! Now, I have to tell you, you don't need to eat a lot of it, but you do need a small portion of the fat with each bite. Without it, you miss out on a lot of the pork flavor. But having said that, oh my GOD! First, the texture, this is the most moist piece of pork I've ever had in my entire life! I mean, we're talking about an inch cube and it chews easy, goes down easy, and even though you're eating a little fat, your mouth doesn't feel like Crisco! I've also never tasted such an incredible pork flavor either! Pork flavor is kind of a fine line. You either have none (so it's just the other white meat) and sometimes you have a little too much where it's got the odor and isn't appetizing. But this was just perfect and right on. Every bite was just buttery goodness! My vocabulary is too small to do this justice! Again, we went in the end of October, so I don't know when exactly this becomes available, but that's when you need to go!

    **
    Would I come back? Absolutely! I'd order the same thing: Beer, Pork Rinds, Porkette, and then go home fat, dumb, and happy as a pig in $@*^!

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/22/2011

    Honestly, just another "good but not great" restaurants.

    We had some very good/unique dishes but everything just seemed to not be at perfection (i.e. "mmm taste pretty good...whats next?")

    Country Ribs - Supposedly one of their most popular dishes - it was seasoned well, but the meat was just not as tender as I had hoped for
    Escargot - meh
    Smoked Sabelfish - good, but nothing special.
    Sugar Snap Pea Salad - interesting mix of vegetables and nuts, but where was the snap peas?
    Aged Ham Sampler - prosciutto, serrano, and la quercia rossa - very good, but that doesnt take a chef to prepare.

    so at the end of the day - food was definitely good...but if you want to be blown away...go for Girl and the Goat instead...now that was phenomenal

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/23/2013

    This is probably my favorite restaurant in Chicago, so as soon as I came back to the city I made a reservation for dinner. The quality of the food is always outstanding - this is a type of place that really let's the ingredients of the dishes shine through. My favorites are the chicken (though be warned, it is a huge dish!), the frites with the egg on top and the three cuts of ham - all simple dishes. I like the loud and busy atmosphere of the place, as well as the long tables that are shared - gives the restaurant a warm feeling. Furthermore, this past time I went, we had a server who was very helpful and friendly. I definitely will keep coming back!

  • 3.0 star rating
    11/30/2010
    1 check-in

    I don't know if I'm getting picky, getting old, or losing my edge, but, something's off. Once again I've tried one of the talked about hotpots, and left thinking "that's it?" That was my recent experience with The Publican. Don't get me wrong: the food was good, the service was good, the atmosphere was good, but, I expected to be blown away and gobsmacked by incredible everything. Frankly, it was just ok, no more, no less.

    We went on a Friday night and were greeted by 3 very lovely hostesses, who proceeded to seat us at a table for 2 about 3 steps from the host stand. Since it was freezing outside and right by the front door we asked if we could sit elsewhere, and they very kindly moved us to a big shared table. We don't mind the whole communal eating with strangers trend, but, be warned if you like your privacy. Luckily for us we got seated at the end of the table with a large family, and it was actually quite nice. They were a friendly group and a pleasure to dine with. Our waiter came by and explained the menu (shared plates at the top, larger dishes to the bottom) and pointed out some highlights (porchetta). We ordered drinks, and here's my first of only two minor complaints: the beer list. The beer list is hefty with numerous choices. There are Belgian selections, trappist selections, Belgian micro-brew selections, domestic selections..so many selections! So many UNIQUE selections, so I don't understand why there is no description of the beers? Most places with that type of beer list gives even a brief description of the taste, hoppiness, etc. Nada. I like trying new brews, but, it's hard to determine what I will/will not like if I don't know what I'm ordering. Enough of my beer rant. Our waiter did make good suggestions based on what we said we typically like. Second complaint: they charge a lot more for their beer than other places with similar, if not better, selections *cough*Hopleaf*cough*.

    We ordered the ham sampler platter which was, you know, good. 3 types of ham with goat butter and bread. Nothing wrong there, but nothing uhmaaaaazing, either. Then the pork rinds, which were good. They're pork rinds, been 'eatin 'em for years, but I guess now they're what, haute cuisine or the latest trend? These were okay, but, I didn't need the dusting of cheese powder; I like my cracklings with hot sauce. Whatever..they're pork rinds, they were good. We had oysters, again very good, and split the porchetta based on the recommendation of our waiter. It was, in a word, delicious, and I would love to eat my pork in that style and manner all the time. We got frites to go with it, and they were a nice compliment. We had zero room for desert, but I heard raves about the waffle.

    Overall? It was a nice dinner and we enjoyed it. I don't know if I'm missing something because I wasn't gobsmacked by my Publican experience, or if it's just a bit over-hyped, but a good time was had by all. We'll definitely go again and maybe the "WOW" factor will get me.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/24/2011

    I've dined at a bunch of different spots around the city for brunch. Somehow none of those experiences compare to the famous brunch at Publican. Going in, I asked a friend of mine what he'd recommend on the menu. "(Go for the) oysters & the roasted chicken. Beyond that, go with pig products."

    Sadly, I never got to taste the chicken or oysters; yet the nice pork-filled tasting menu made up for it. Started off with the pumpkin donut (oozing with deliciousness). Then we had the spicy pork shoulder (very flavorful; the kale and egg sides brought it all out) and poached egg (also pretty good). By far the best dishes were the omelet (with cheese, onions and prosciutto...so delicious) and of course, the slab of maple syrup-braised bacon (there's nothing more you can say to describe how this tastes, right?). The meal was topped off by a generous sized waffle with plums and honey butter topping. Why could I not have another piece?? :(

    The only hangup about this place is that it can get crazy busy...especially for a Sunday brunch. The crowd noise kind of bugged me as well.  Wait staff was accommodating; I also got a kick out of the paintings of fat (and I mean FAT) pigs on the walls. The booths setup was also kind of interesting; they all had a door at the end so it made it look like you were in a pigpen. Would I find that hilarious or intimidating? I dunno.

    The food itself would would make me want to plan a return trip here. Maybe if I returned on a less busier day, I'd enjoy myself a little more.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/20/2013
    1 check-in

    They pay great attention and do a good job of taking the time of explaining the menu. Also had some difficulty finding vegetarian options for my friends but the staff was great about working with them and getting vegetarian food out.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/23/2012

    Nothing but love for The Publican. Of all the things on the menu, their whole chicken with sausage and fries is what I crave.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/16/2012

    This food is really exciting.  Something different every time!  Great beer list. Memorable meal!

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/2/2011

    Wish I could say I liked this place more.  The food is great, although there's nothing I'm dying to go back and have a second time.  

    What I did not like was the atmosphere.  It is SO loud.  We were a group of 8 and I could not hear anyone except the person next to me.  I felt like I was in a noisy cafeteria.  It was not relaxing.  

    I was also kind of annoyed with our waitress, because when we would get excited to order things individually, she would look at us disapprovingly and tell us that is not really how it is done here.  Whatever, I don't want to share, ok?  She said she could not guarantee all our entrees will arrive at the same time, which is probably why they encourage the whole family style eating, even though most of what we ordered seemed to be more like individual entrees.

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/13/2011
    1 check-in

    I've eaten here 3 times total (on 3 separate days) and my final rating of 3 stars is explained below.

    First visit -- Brunch -- Total fan, 5 stars, loved it. I believe I had the shrimp with dirty rice. I liked how they served the whole shrimp with head intact, which is the best part in my opinion. Raved about this restaurant to everyone I knew. I may have mentioned it to my one of my patients as well.. ("Yeah, pork belly won't hurt your ridiculously high cholesterol. Eat it!")

    Second visit -- Dinner -- I felt like an oinker trapped in the stable booth. Cool. My party ordered a bunch of things. Most of it was pretty good. I was disappointed they were out of a few items on the menu. The pork chop I ordered had a good char, but underneath that layer was mostly fat and some tender flavorful meat. Sad surprise. We also ordered all of their desserts. Yay for Waffles!

    Third visit -- Brunch -- Made reservations for my Mom's birthday, party of 4. The restaurant was half empty and they sit us at the bar at the very end where the staff walks in and out. Seriously dude? Unhappy with our seating I asked the hostess if we could sit at an OPEN table and she replies with Nope, don't want to overwhelm our servers who already have big parties. Uh, not my fault if you have poor planning! We decided to take this up with the manager who then kindly sat us at an oinker stable booth. She also made it up by serving us some baked goods to go with our coffee and even gave my mom a new Publican piggy clothe napkin for her bday. Despite our better seating, it put a damper on my meal, which to be honest wasnt as good as the first or second time.

    Conclusion 3 stars.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/17/2013

    The beer selection was great, the staff was attentive and I ate so much good food. I didn't eat anything from the seafood side of the menu this time but others who did only had positive things to say. I will definitely be back.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/14/2011
    1 check-in

    My boyfriend took me here last month. Our server recommended what we should ordered and got the following:

    - Trout, amazing but watch out for some fish bones
    - Chicken, my bf was a fan... I thought it was okay. I liked that the chicken seasonings and oils rubbed off on the fries that came with it -- made the fries really tasty.
    - Serrano Ham, melted in your mouth and not too salty
    - Fried Eggplants w/ aioli sauce, could've skipped this... it's just battered, fried eggplants, nothing special.

    Service could be better. Our main server checked up on us once. I told him about the fish bones but didn't really seem to care. I think we ordered too much food so I think our server was just trying to get a bigger tip since we were unfamiliar w/ the menu and he was the one who suggested what and how much to order. We certainly could've done w/o the eggplant as our vegetable (our server thought we needed a vegetable dish with our order -- fried and battered discounts any vegetable quality of the eggplant, really).

    I would recommend getting just one big dish and a couple of smaller plate items. I would recommend the trout for your main dish.

    Nice ambience and decor.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/12/2011
    1 check-in

    "The menu is definitely eclectic. The focus on organically & local grown seafood, fowl, meats & greens."

    While living in Chicago for a few months my girlfriend Carolann & I wanted to make sure we got a good sample of the foodie scene. I'll have to admit our first draw to this restaurant had to do with a TV show on the food network. "The Best Thing I ever Ate" The spicy pork rinds were a favorite and this was enough for us to visit.

    1st. Make reservations if you want a seat at the table. This place can get busy.

    Upon arriving to the publican you'll be greeted by the warm wooden tables & warm lights. Definitely a warm pub feeling. There are standing areas where people seemed to be enjoying predinner/prepartying drinks, cubicle like separate tables and finally the rest is family style table seating. If you aren't a fan of the family style seating, then I recommend you bring a few friends with you and get a closed in cubicle table.

    Once seated you'll notice that the restaurant is not the only warm & inviting thing about this restaurant. The staff is very helpful and informative and the same thing can be said about the other restaurant patrons. My girlfriend and I were flanked on both sides by regulars who helped us navigate the menu & the beer/wine list.

    The Beer & Wine list is extensive. I honestly wish I could have come back a dozen times just to get more of a sample.

    The menu is definitely eclectic. The focus on organically & local grown seafood, fowl, meats & greens.

    The table bread was warm and the crust was crunchy.

    Spicy Pork Rinds - a MUST. The perfect blend of crunch & spice. The great way to wash down that Belgian beer.

    We shared the Charcuterie Plate-- which consisted of a pork pie, trotter-foie gras terrine, head cheese, finocchiona, morteau sausage, pickles & mustards. It was flavorful and a wonderful plate to share.

    The Frites served with the organic egg was divine. The way the yolk mixed with the hot fries & sea salt was a wonderful compliment to the Charcuterie Plate.

    We finished the meal off with this pork back that was just incredible. It was like eating a 4 inch think piece of bacon. It was simply one of the best things I have ever eaten.

    Apparently there are some menu changes with the seasons but most of the favorites remain.

    The prices are very reasonable for the quality of the meal.

    Do yourself a favor and add this place to a MUST visit if you are in Chicago. I will definitely be returning to try out more of the wonderful menu.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 5.0 star rating
    12/10/2012
    2 check-ins

    Legit! The PQM burger rocks!  The brunch menu has a lot of great options, including some classic cocktails with twist.  Definitely worth going to!

  • 3.0 star rating
    12/17/2008

    It must have been an off night.  Friday night and very busy.  First impression?  The service, for the prices paid, was awful.  We got two Chef's Choice dozen clams when we ordered one.  The ham sampler didn't come until - I kid you not - an hour after we ordered two of them.  And there were various other service guffaws from our waiter and his helpers.

    The food?  Really, really, really good.  We sampled about 10 or 12 different things and they were top notch, though expensive for the portions.  This is almost a really expensive tapas place, but with great imagination.

    The beer?  Whoa!  What a list - though, again, very expensive.  Try a Mad Bitch if you have the chance - great.  

    The tab was on the company for our holiday gathering.  If I'd paid, I'd rate 1.5 stars.  I'd rate 2.5 stars since I wasn't paying :).

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/14/2010 Updated review

    Please see previous review for all the things I adore about The Publican: beer, food, awesome servers, waffles, and Sortilege.

    The food was as glorious as ever, but the service was not the enthusiastic event that I had been privy to prior. I like to have my hand held and be led down the path of epicurean delight.

    I took an old pal here back in May. We've known each other since high school, so eating together isn't a problem. Finding cool places to do so can be. I sang the praises of The Publican so loudly I'm sure it could be heard for miles.  We arrived at a normal dinner hour (7ish) on a normal Sunday evening. Our table wasn't perfect (I've been told I'm picky, so I let it slide), small table for two next to the window. Okay, okay, some people would love this locale. I like to be in the midst of things and that's one of the cool things about The Publican. They offer Beer Hall style seating and seating at "the bar." So, fine, we have a nice table for two by the window.

    Next, is what really killed to for me. I was hoping for the same love and excitement I was shown before, especially since my guest was from out of town. I enjoy when a waiter encourages a chef's special dish or something s/he loves. Our waiter was of the mind that we could decide for ourselves. Even with our beer selections. Guide me, O, brilliant and knowledgeable server. Nope. I picked my own: Trappistes Rochefort 6. A strong dark Belgian Ale. It was yummy, but I already knew that.

    The evening continued on as such. Me guiding my guest and the server agreeing with me. Oh well.The oysters were fresh and near perfect. The Fish Stew was very good. We had some yummy spicy prawns with their heads still on. That was fun! Friend not so amused as the waiter instructed him of the chef's recommendation to eat the shell. I ate it. He did not.

    We wanted to order RAMPS. Just so we could say we ate rampant ramps. We later learned they were merely baby leeks. Eh, not as enticing.

    For dessert we had the waffles and Sortilege. This was a huge hit with my dinner companion. Apparently, WAFFLES ROCK. Admittedly, they are amazing here.

    Again, the food was amazing, the company stellar, the atmosphere visually pleasing, it was merely the lack of zeal and involvement on the waiter's part that detracted from the dining experience.

    5.0 star rating
    1/28/2010 Previous review
    Having visited this wonderfully gregarious establishment only once, it may be premature to dole out… Read more
  • 3.0 star rating
    1/14/2011

    As a person who has no love of meat, I knew I was in trouble when I walked in to find a small woman jabbing a spoon into the center of a massive cow thigh bone to savor the marrow.  The carnivores at the table were very pleased with the meats and veal brains, er aka sweetbreads.  give it the 3 stars for "A OK" but I deduct 2 stars for
    1.  Unbelievably loud.  We had to shout to converse and we were in a booth.  This was a real turn off for me.
    2.  Lack of vegetarian options.  When I say lack, I mean none. If you have a non meat lover, be sure they eat seafood at least.

    I thought the service was delightful and informative and the beer list is cool.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/11/2013

    If there is a better french style brunch, you must be in Paris. Went in, no reservation (our bad), in a busy Sunday morning. After about 25 minutes got a couple seats at the bar. Not my first time here, but as the menu changes, its worth coming in over and over. We ordered the Red wine pached eggs benedict thing (unreal) and the smoked Sturgeon (with bagel, salad and salmon roe). The food was stunning as always. Rich but not too heavy. Coffee kept flowing and the atmosphere... well, if you been here before, you know, loud, vibrant and classy. Great way to start your Sunday especially that Football season is over...

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/13/2011
    Listed in Edible, Tip It!, Chicago!

    This place is pretty neat! It was slow during the late afternoon, but when it became dark outside, that's when the place picked up.

    The ambiance is interested and I don't know about the communal tables, but I still enjoyed the way they showcase foods and beers that are made in the West Loop and beyond. Pricey, but if you can press if you can get your bill under 50.

    We were constantly checked on and taken care of. I will definitely recommend to my loaded fellow!

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/16/2010

    What does it say about me if I tell you that the two most memorable things of my experience at The Publican were:
    - the bathroom soap
    - a Belgian waffle

    That I am difficult? picky? insane? uneducated? prissy? Paul Kahn's enemy? a French spy? awful to offal?

    Nah.
    Or maybe a bit of each. Whatever.
    But mostly - it screams that after having tasted paradise on a plate several times in another establishment a couple of blocks south I was expecting better.
    Clearly, le "cochon" has lost the battle against la "chevre".
    Poor little piggy.

    The second edition of our Sunday night supper club (nothing to do with Wisconsin, it's just a name) took us on Green Street, and we were all excited about it. But at the end of the meal we all agreed that, well, it wasn't that exciting after all. We did a good job of sharing a multitude of dishes though, and were really open-minded and ready to be blown away.

    It just didn't happen.
    The sardines were blah, the crudo lacked in acidity, the eggplant had nothing to them, the porchetta was slightly undercooked and dry at the same time, the pig ears tasted like bacon, and overall the presentation was just.........sloppy.
    I enjoyed the peaches though - deliciously tart - the ribs and the buttermilk dressing on the little gem salad.
    And my seasonal Three Floyds.
    Poor harvest.

    The dessert waffle was outstanding. Just like I remember it from home. Crunchy and soft, with a delicious blackberry jam. I could order 10 of them.
    And the soap.....I couldn't stop smelling my hands. Bigelow Village Perfumer Body Lotion Lime & Coriander, you have a new fan, soon customer.
    I am pretty sure that the kitchen has nothing to do with it though.

    Maybe I have been too spoiled but The Publican didn't quite do it for me. I am still planning on coming back for (over-priced) oysters and waffles.
    And beer.
    Naturlisch.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/10/2011

    I would give this place a 4.5....

    The Publican is one of those rare places that has managed to successfully blend hipster and fine dining into an experience that is extremely enjoyable.

    The food is way more hits than misses, especially when it comes to the pork (and beef) dishes.  These guys clearly know what they are doing.  The country rib, pork belly, pastrami, and hanger steak are a few that I would recommend.  And definitely the pickles -- some great contrast to the savory food that makes up most of the menu. The fish and vegetables...well, they could use a little bit of work.  

    Ambiance is 5 stars for me.  Really attentive and friendly staff, even though the place was slammed.  I have dined there twice and neither time did I have reservations, but we were still seated at the communal tables (which is where most of their seating is) right away.  It's tight quarters, but definitely makes for a lively dining experience.    Neither time did any of us have room for dessert.  

    If there's anything that I'd like to see changed about this place, it's in how they bring out the food.  While I'm fine with the "it comes out as it's ready", having items that are clearly first courses (and made far in advance - e.g. pickles) come out after heavier entrees makes no sense and hurts the dining experience.   To me, this is either a gimmick or the ego of the chef/owner -- and someday this place won't be cool and new and I suspect that this approach will go away.  

    Definitely would go back.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/7/2012

    I went there since one of my friend who is from St. Louis said this is a must-go spot in Chicago.  So my friend and I went there last night and had a wonderful night.

    -Brussels Spouts:juicy, big portion, it's a good start to have a feast .
    -The leg of goat: I am not a big fan of goat, but they put a special sauce on it and roasted pretty well, I strongly recommended
    -The pork belly: Originally, I was craving  "suckling pig" on menu from their website, but I didn't see it on the menu when I went to the restaurant last night so I ordered the pork belly instead, it was still amazing!! crispy skin, tasted like my hometown-style cuisine,everyone at our table loved them.
    -Cauliflower gratin: fantasy!!   good dish for vegetarian!!!

    Overall: the food,the ambience, and the service were terrific!! it's pity that it's a little bit expensive for students. Anyway, everyone should give it a try!!

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/12/2010

    The Publican is amazing! I went with a friend and when we first arrived we had to wait for a bit, but gladly headed to the bar and had a beer and glass of rose. Delicious!

    Once we got settled into our seat and spoke with the waitress, we chose to order the Suckling Pig, French Fries and an order of the Pork Rinds. The pork was  perfect in every way. Flavorful, moist, tender and the fries were the best I've ever had. I can't wait to try them again. In all honestly I am not a huge fan of Pork Rinds and probably wouldn't order them on my own, but if your a fan or new to eating at The Publican definitely give them a try.

    Can't wait to go back! Also, if you take a group, make a reservation so you can get a private booth.

  • 2.0 star rating
    3/20/2011

    I think this is one of those cases where my expectations were so high that anything short of greatness was going to disappoint. Publican is good, but not great. I had the country style ribs and it was pretty tasty but the chicken my date ordered was pretty average.

    Ambiance is nice, wait staff was very helpful, beer list was semi-respectable. This place is a solid C+. Not awesome, not awful, just average.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/20/2013 Updated review

    Brunch update!  The food was just as good as I remember!

    We went in this last Saturday around noon.  We had a reservation for 4 and were seated as soon as we were all there, near the kitchen.  For food we had the sourdough pancake (with bacon wrapped chicken thighs!), truffled egg scramble, Asian braised pork shoulder, and fried fish sandwich.  Everything was fantastic.  The pancake came in a cast-iron pot with maybe the best maple syrup I've ever tasted.  And the eggs were lightly truffled but we couldn't see any bits of truffle.  The flavor was definitely there.  And the salad that came with it was a nice offset to the grilled bread and eggs.  The pork shoulder dish was different, but quite a big portion.  I don't have a clue how the noodles in that broth weren't completely overdone by the time they got to the table, but they were perfect.  I didn't try the fried fish (its just not my thing), but the other girls thought it was really well done.

    Service was a bit spotty, but we didn't really mind a leisurely brunch.  The secondary staff was really good.  Our water glasses and coffee cups were never empty.  

    I think, for us, getting to sit right near the kitchen may have been the best part of the meal.  It was fun to hear the call of the orders and everybody involved seemed to be having a good time, despite the place seeming really busy.  We had the most fun figuring out why one cook (we looked and couldn't see it on anybody else) had an "Old Dirty Bastard" t- shirt on! Is this part of the approved uniform? (everyone else was in white/cream) Was he in the restaurant?  Did she lose a bet?  Is she just his biggest fan in the whole world? We don't know, but it provided quite a bit for us to talk about, so much so that we bought them all a round of beers for entertaining us so well.

    I've been here for dinner a few times and now for brunch and have enjoyed myself every time! They really understand food and ingredients and you can't go wrong here!

    5.0 star rating
    8/28/2011 Previous review
    Ok, so I'll admit, I don't drink.  Lets just get that out of the way and move on.  Yes, craft beers… Read more
  • 2.0 star rating
    2/7/2013

    Service was excellent.  As for the food, in a word, bland.
    Tonight we had:

    Fried clams- Yuck, tons of breading, clams fried too long all we could taste was breading (and not very tasty breading).  Came with a "spicy" remoulade sauce, it was not spicy at, not even flavorful at that.

    Squid- just meh, bland.  But for $17 dollars I don't want to eat bland food, I at least want "good" food.

    Frites- These were just normal good fries. Good if you need a filler but nothing that you should go out of your way to order.

    3 cuts of ham- May not be the exact name but it was top right of the menu.  I poked fun at my boyfriend for ordering 3 different sliced(thin) hams for $21.  But it's a good thing he did otherwise we would have been very hungry.  This was tasty, for me personally not $21 tasty but that's relative to each person.

    I say if you're in the area looking for small plates go to Girl & the Goat.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/1/2011
    1 check-in

    Pork. Seafood. Heaven.

    Another place that's going to be even better in the spring when they open up the front. Yet another in the (now) long line of rustic looking restaurants in Chicago with long communal tables.

    The seafood stew is fantastic. The broth is refreshing, the shellfish are fresh and the fish chunks are buttery. And the blood sausage, oh, the blood sausage. I hated it growing up, but my adult self will do crazy things for a bite of the nasty smelling stuff. The farm chicken is juicy and tasty if a bit lightly seasoned.

    All-in-all, another amazing dining experience from Paul Kahan and co. This is just delicious so-called peasant food expertly prepared with love and joy.

    The service is excellent as well. Our server broke down the menu for us, and helped us out with the choices. Also the beer list is fantastic, but it has a lot of turnover. Still haven't seen that amazing hefeweizzen I tried. I like my IPAs and porters, but I'm telling you folks: this Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel is one of the 5 most delicious beers I've ever had. If you ever see it, you need to get it.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/1/2011

    I went to the Publican recently as a friend had offered to pay and, well, as a poor college student I couldn't afford to eat there on my own. But I'm glad I finally got a chance to go after friends had been recommending it for months.

    We got the platter of ham, the tomato salad thing, and the elote.

    The ham was amazing. I know this place is known for their meat, and I just wish I was more of a meat eater to fully enjoy it. But the ham was great.

    The elote was amazing as well. Such an interesting take on a Mexican dish - HIGHLY recommended.

    I can't remember the name of the tomato salad thing, but it was decent. It had anchovies so I didn't eat much, but my friend liked it.

    My only issues with The Publican are that, firstly, I didn't realize the dishes were for sharing. More like expensive american tapas than regular entrees. Had I known this, I would have gone with more people and ordered differently. Maybe that was my fault, I don't know. Secondly, this place can get really crowded. And the seating is communal, so you never really know if you're gonna be able to get a table or not...

    But I had an overall good experience, and I'll definitely be going back (when I can afford it).

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/28/2011 Updated review

    My fiancee and I were in the neighborhood and decided to head on over to Publican late on Friday to catch a bite to eat.  Our first time there (with a large group) we had an excellent experience.  The food was great, the servers attentive, and the food was brought out in the correct order.  

    This time around there were some issues with the timing and the server which I was not expecting due to our fabulous experience on our first visit.  Discretely, I spoke to the manager about the issues that they were having and they handled it just as a well run restaurant who values their customers would.  We definitely would come back again.

    4.0 star rating
    8/14/2011 Previous review
    Great food, great service, with an interesting atmosphere to say the least.  The place is decorated… Read more
  • 3.0 star rating
    3/16/2011

    I wanted to like the Publican (it's by the same people who brought us Blackbird!).  I seriously, seriously did.  But I take issue with 2 things:

    (i) For a restaurant that prominently displays old world art of pigs like alters to an ancient god, that same reverence should translate on the plate.  Alas, my experience was disappointing.  My porchetta - an italian roasted pork belly roll - was dry, chewy, and unappealing.  If they had used one of the heirloom pork breeds from the pictures, this would not be the case.  And at that price, they could certainly afford it.

    (ii) The prices are very steep for the portions that they give you.  But I guess I would not have an issue with that if the food had been orgasmic.  Maybe I expect too much.

    I actually enjoyed the booths that shut you in like a corral.  But the rest of my party felt trapped & clausterphobic.  The server took way too long before he took our order, but afterward the food runners were attentive enough and the bussers kept our waters refilled.  3 stars because the steak tartare was delicious.  Unfortunately, I don't have much desire to return.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/30/2012

    Just got over the 3 star mark to 4.  Overall, very good restaurant.  We did the all food BUT pork approach, which worked out fine but was somewhat limiting at 80% of the menu is pork related.  We started with the oyster sampler, they were very good, then moved to the steak, that was excellent, then a few salads and the sushi grade hamachi.  Overall, pricewise not terrible and generally a nice experience.  Expect a wait for your table even with a reservation and communal seating.  Our waiter was fantastic.

  • 1.0 star rating
    11/1/2010
    1 check-in

    Avoid if you value your time!  40+ minute wait for a table on a Sunday at 12:00 PM...despite the fact that there were many open tables.  Greeted by a Stand-Offish host.  Decided to wait in the communal bar for the table.  15 minutes for the waiter to first take a drink order.  One drink and never saw the waiter again for another 20+ minutes.  You get the idea...slow service and understaffed.

    There is a good beer selection, but frankly many of the beers are common and horrendously marked-up.  The Sunday Brunch menu is good, and the food is good.  But it's breakfast food - honestly its difficult to mess it up.  Oh, and out of the 12 items on the menu - they had sold out of 2 of them.  And if you want any type of privacy while dining, this is not the place for you.  The majority of the seats are at communal tables where you will be packed in like sardines.

    Summary:  the restaurant is a scene.  The food quality, and menu doesn't justify the poor service and excessive wait.  There are many other better options in Chicago.  Avoid!

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/23/2010

    So I took my girlfriend here for Sweetest Day (shuttup, I like these Hallmark Holidays).

    She always wanted to go because she is a Food Network addict and one of the chef's loved the pork rinds here. Pork Rinds eh? Being Filipino and hearing my dad chomp on these heartattacks-in-a-bag made me curious, "How gourmet can pork rinds really be?" Also, we heard there was always a 3 month RSVP Waiting list. Eh?

    So she had no idea we were going there. No signage, no big ass logos to claim "THE PUBLICAN". We entered and she saw an article hanging no the wall and finally knew where she was and she was in shock.

    We entered the dining area and it was amazing, loud, and very communal. People were sitting on long benches close to each other. Pig paintings everywhere. Dimly lit. The waiters had cool hip flannel uniforms - they were very friendly too.

    We ordered the pork rinds, mussels, pork belly, and had some bread. Delicious stuff. If you're hungry, you won't really get full here, but if you're a flavor nut - go here.

    I wasn't a big fan of the pork belly but the mussels and the pork rinds were actually fun and pretty darn tasty.

    The price wasn't bad either. I was expecting to shelve out $200+. I think our dinner tabs are getting less expensive. My girlfriend tells me that it's because I don't order alcohol anymore. She's so smart and I'm so....balllllllin!

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/29/2012

    WOW! Incredible/uh-mazing!  Everything was awesome! Beet and farro salad was killer the artic char- i want to marry it.
    Can't say enough nice things. The decor is beautiful the service is wonderful they know everything about the food and drinks.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/23/2011
    1 check-in
    Listed in Favorite Eats

    My wife and I were torn about whether to have our first experience here be with dinner or brunch, and brunch won out.

    Upon entering we were quickly seated at a two person table, although the entire center of the restaurant is bedecked with long tables made for multiple parties. We thought it would be fun next time to be seated next to others, as you are close enough to converse but still have personal space and can have a private conversation. Also, the wooden beams and framed canvases of painted pigs make for a really great look.

    Our server was very friendly and casual, but knowledgeable about the whole menu, beer and food both. We wound up ordering cashew sticky buns to start, and I helped myself to an Espresso Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout. Fantastic with the sticky buns, which were perfectly cooked with a soft chewiness and caramel-like coating.

    For our main course I got the fried oyster omelette with tabasco croutons and my wife got the Fried French Toast with Maple Sausage. We split a side of bacon, which was a thick cut hunk of the cured pork belly braised in maple syrup. Best. Bacon. EVER. The omelette was fantastic as well, nice fresh oysters with a light crisp breading, and paired really well with the Hefeweizen I ordered (I knew the style is great with brunch, and it didn't let me down). My wife's French Toast had a delicious caramelized crust surrounding the custardy inside, and the maple sausage had the perfect balance of maple flavor and wasn't too greasy.

    Publican's strength is in the fact that all of their dishes are made in house from start to finish, even their bacon and sausage. This shows in every bite you take, which unmercifully has to come to an end at some point. Without a doubt we will be coming back soon to try out dinner.

  • 2.0 star rating
    9/24/2010

    The Publican...ohhh the Publican.  I was so excited to visit you.  And you let me down.  Here's the rundown:

    The good:
    The oysters - We got an array of different kinds of oysters and they were all delicious.
    The bread - yummmmm.
    The dessert

    The bad:
    Fried shrimp appetizer - they kept the shells on and then fried them. I really tried to like these, but the texture felt like eating toenails.  Ugh.
    The open kitchen - Normally, I like the idea of an open kitchen.  But, if you're going to have an open kitchen, you need to teach your servers to remember that everyone can see what they are doing in there.  The night we went to the Publican, there was a waitress (not ours, thank goodness) who repeatedly went into the kitchen, played with her hair, and then touched people's food that she was about to serve.  I don't mean she picked up the plates, I mean she touched the food, rearranging it on the plate.  I was disgusted.

    Overall, the service was good, the atmosphere was good, but the food, eh, I've had better, and especially for the price.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/10/2011

    I'm catching up on my Yelp reviews and remembering the best of my Chicago eating experiences. Publican brought turkey hearts, sweet breads, pigs ear, and fresh oysters into my normal dishes. I had always been a fan of oysters but had given up on getting good ones this far in from the ocean, but was proven very wrong. Though known for its pork dishes, I always seem to relish the wrong things here. The fact is that the chef and menu are just incredible. Its a perfect place to eat big and take risks.

    The ambiance can be fun if you are with the right crowd. Shared seating in the center and closed in booths around the edge give it a very social feeling. The lighting and use of wood are very modern and maybe even a bit sharp. Service is always friendly and a bit hectic. I've never seen the place slow. I've also missed out on brunch, which is rumored to be delicious.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/24/2011
    1 check-in

    That Momma sow sure knows how to get cooked here. I probably had some of the best ribs here as well as mussels.  The menu is definitely different then most so don't feel afraid to ask questions. The waitstaff was extremely friendly and very attentive.

    As for the atmosphere, it was unique, especially with pork art on the walls and you have to love the seating style. Definitely plenty of beers to choose from, some drafts but mostly bottles.  The meal might set you back a bill or two but it's definitely worth a excellent dinner. Or you could  grab a few people and join in the sharing experience. Believe there will be plenty of food to go around.

  • 2.0 star rating
    11/7/2013

    Too greasy. Too salty. Just not very good. Waitress chronically depressed. The most memorable part was the smoked wood Norwegian beer and I can't even remember what it was called.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/29/2011

    One of the best dining experiences in Chicago.  Tons of tasty small plates and an extensive wine and beer menu makes me wish I lived in the area.  Better enjoyed with a group of friends, so you can try more of the amazing food.  Service was very attentive and knowledgeable.  Several dishes where from his recommendations and they were all great.  

    Oysters: nothing special but a nice starter.  Fresh and clean. I had the Chef's dozen.

    Ham: skip the two younger varieties and go head on into the "rich/wild" (seriously that's what it says on the menu).  Very tasty like a properly aged  wine which coincidentally would be perfect at this point.

    Pork rinds, were a bit of a let down.  A little too much like the crinkly bag variety especially with the powdered cheesy hot powder on top. (insert beer at this point)

    Little gem salad: eating those pig ears was like getting a little gem in every bite!  Like crispy bacon chips!

    Octopus was cooked perfectly. Nice bite without being chewy.

    Potee, I know pronounce it wrong and you may be turned off.  Order it and the only downside is that there isn't more.

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/20/2012

    This is more like 3.5 stars, but I guess 3 will have to do. Went here on a recent Friday for an impromptu dinner.  We were seated right away (party of 2) at 8 p.m. in the outdoor area.  Started with a great glass of red wine from Austria and some chicken liver pate .  Both were excellent.  The pate was rich and creamy and was cut well by the fresh raspberries that were served on top.  As a main dish I tried the pork belly.  It was tender and flavorful.  The service is really where they lose some stars.  Our services was uninformative, unfriendly and scatty.  The bus boy was great, always kept our water full, but our server was awkward and unhelpful.  Also, the food was not timed well, not sure if that's a service issue or a kitchen issue.  Not sure if I'd return to the Publican, perhaps for a group dinner where someone else does the picking, but I probably won't be rushing back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/3/2011

    I went for a Sunday Brunch and I can't wait until I go again. My group ordered almost everything on the menu and they asked me how I knew to order all the bacon...uh, duh?

    Order the maple syrup publican braised bacon ($7). The thing is a thick slice of bacon (half an inch?) and is so tender and melts in your mouth with sweet syrupy goodness.

    I had the wonderful waffle; so light and fluffy with the honey butter and fruit jam. It has wrecked my standard for waffles forever.

    The spicy pork rinds were fun to snack on as well as the clams and mussels. You really can't go wrong with whatever you order for brunch. (Unless you miss out on the bacon).

    Just be advised thats they will run out of the favorites such as red wine poached egg and weiswurst.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/16/2011

    I am so looking forward to coming back here as soon as possible! We decided on the Publican for a 'second dinner' last weekend...when we told this to our waiter he asked if we were hobbits.

    This place is gorgeous...awesome interior design, beautiful lighting, and a great menu. Many of the tables are communal, like in a beer hall which can be either really fun or really annoying if you're seated next to idiots who think it's okay to slam their fists on the table every 30 seconds while yapping way too loudly about their awesomeness. Anyhow, it's quite lovely inside.

    I had never really been to a gastropub before this, so wasn't totally sure what to expect. It's slightly daunting in that sense, but it's also exciting for those who like to try new things. We decided on the mussels and fries which were suuuper good. I'm not sure what all these complaints are about the fries not being exquisite creations from heaven....they're french fries...either they suck or they don't. These ones happen to not suck. They are actually quite good. The mussels, our waiter explained, are made with a lambic base rather than a white wine base, which is what mussels are always cooked with. I had never had mussels before, and our waiter lamented that it's generally downhill from the Publican's. I believe him. They were delicious.

    The beer list was great, and we were able to pick fun new things to try. The only negative thing I have to say about this place is that the bussers were a little over-eager. My boyfriend had a piece of bread halfway into his mouth when a busser whisked the remainder of the loaf from his plate and hurried away. Not so much with that....

    But this place is great! So excited to return and try some more new things!

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/7/2011 Updated review
    1 check-in
    Listed in Best of Chicago

    I think this is one of my most favorite places on Earth.  

    Ate there a few days ago and it was even better than the first.  Appetizer of different hams...Virginia, Iowa and Spain...was fantastic.  Entree, had the sweetbreads, which came highly recommended by the server.  Ummm yeah, glad I listened, b/c it may have been the best thing I've eaten in the past year.  Fin amazing!  Sides of potato-leek gratin and brussels sprouts were very good too.

    Washed it down with a brew from Three Floyds as well as a De Dolle Dulle Teve belgian tripel.  If only Michigan could procure such nectar...

    In my two day tour du jour around Chitown, I ate at a lot of highly recommended places of similar caliber.  And there's no doubt in my mind, the Publican was the best.  Cheers guys...

    5.0 star rating
    7/7/2010 Previous review
    I had brunch here recently and was so excited to try their pig offerings that I felt it was… Read more
  • 3.0 star rating
    4/23/2011

    In four words: tasty food, mediocre value.  I will start with the good.  I just moved back here from San Francisco, and I was worried that my oyster eating days were over.  So I was psyched when I saw the oyster list at the Publican (including my favorites, Hog Island Sweetwaters), and the oysters here were pristine and the prices were correct ($15 for a half dozen, $30 for a dozen).

    For entrees, my friend ordered the suckling pig and I ordered the sweetbreads.  The suckling pig was tasty but very salty.  The sweetbreads were delicious, fried and topped with a mayonnaise based sauce.

    Issues: the entree portions were small.  Very small.  I had maybe two or three ounces of sweetbreads.  For entrees that are priced over $20, there should be more food.

    The beer selection is decent, but most of the bottle choices were overpriced.  Oddly, the drafts were very reasonable.  I'll give a few examples.  A Westmalle tripel is $12 here, at Map Room it is $8; Saison Dupont is $12 here, at Map Room it is $8; Orval is $12 here, at Map Room it is $8.  Not sure what justifies the markup.

    It's odd, the sister restaurant Avec has always felt like such a fantastic deal, delicious food, good portion sizes, reasonably priced and interesting wines.  It's too bad that that feeling does not carry over to the Publican.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/4/2010

    Hi! I'm a little late to the party here, but this place,The Publican, is pretty darn good.

    I have a hard time thinking of any place in the city I would rather have a night out of drinking beer and eating straightforward, but amazing food. Fantastic beer list meets mouthwatering dishes - from the simple, fresh-as-can-be oysters, to the porkier selections, to the hearty fish stew.

    The only downside was leaving the restaurant.

  • 3.0 star rating
    11/24/2010

    I really want to love the Publican but it's missing something. The food was good; they were well executed but in general, they are just not very memorable. Nothing really popped for me. I could hardly remember what I had there aside from the lamb or duck reuben if I have not mistaken.

    The service was good but the bread basket, while delicious, could have been filled more frequently. The portions are meant to be shared but it's so small that we could hardly share with a party of four. Not really happy about it. The waffle that magazines have been raving about turned out to be ehh.

    We went there for a farewell dinner with a very good friend of mine but I didn't get the experience that I wished for. I would rather go to Avec in the future.

    It's a 3.5 stars from me.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/29/2012
    1 check-in

    Definitely on my list in Chicago now. Wouldn't suggest this as a first date spot (unless you thrive on high volumes and shared tables in that situation) but the restaurant is great for almost any other situation. The atmosphere inside is lively and social; aided by the long communal tables and open interior (the pictures on the website should give you an idea). The servers do their part to cultivate that atmosphere as well

    Ordering several plates and sharing is the recommended course of action, so when in Rome (menu changes frequently, maybe even daily, so this may be unnecessary but):
    Chef's Selection Oysters -  We were served a six oysters on a bed of ice with a small menu identifying each piece. Wonderful presentation and great taste
    Sea Bass - Probably the best thing we ordered. Fish was very tender and came in a good sized portion
    Mussels - Sounding like a broken record, but were quality tasting, came in a large portion and also was accompanied by hunks of bread to soak up the excess juice
    Fried Clams - Not exactly thrilled with this dish, which I'm guessing is just due to the texture in this case
    Suckling Pig - Awesome. Very tender meat and very flavorful. Also came in a large portion as well
    Mushroom Burrata - Not as tasty as the other mentioned dishes, but still had plenty of flavor and was a solid addition

    Now, we ordered this all for two people. The waitress warned us after ordering that we would be on the "edge of full." After some brief banter we decided to go for it and see how it all turned out. About halfway through the meal the waitress came in and apologized (she was very nice about the whole thing) saying that she believed it would indeed be too much food for us and that she was sorry for not being more cautious earlier. She said that if we finished everything she would get us a free dessert. Like we needed anymore incentive with food like this.

    Our meal slowed to a crawl just at the end. It was just as the waitress had explained before: the edge of full. We couldn't just turn down the offer for dessert, however. We ordered the peanut butter and chocolate pie and got some sort of berry turnover with vanilla ice cream as our bonus (she followed through on her promise). One of the greatest pains for me that night was having to put down my fork before the pie was finished. It was exceptionally delicious slice of pie (graham cracker crust and caramel  also included, in case I failed to mention). I had succumbed to fullness, but was perfectly content.

    The meal was expensive, but when i consider the size of the portions and the quality of the food, I was pleased enough with the meal and the experience to warrant the cost. Five stars

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/23/2010

    Had a very memorable evening here for our 8th wedding anniversary.  Food and service were amazing.  Loved the design of the place - very conceptual and cool.  Brought back many memories of the state fair and farm.  Bar space is a bit strange in the center.  In fact, I never even had a chance to observe the copper bar.  A bit noisy though.  Loved the bathroom design and the hand soap smelled so great!  

    We really enjoyed trying out some new cuts of meat such as the pig ears and sweetbreads.  We definitely plan to be back to try the frites and pork rinds.  Items that stick out in my mind as exceptional were the waffle dessert w/ peaches and the daily pickles.  So yummy.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/10/2011

    I will make a list of things that were amazing about my recent meal at Publican:

    Brussels sprouts
    Charcuterie plate
    Whole dover sole (and the cute Adrien Grenier look-alike who so nicely filleted it)
    Sweetbreads
    Braised Kale
    Frites
    Durian sorbet
    Wine
    The amazing server, Christopher

    I will make a list of things that suck about my recent meal at Publican:

    I live in Brooklyn.

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/17/2011

    I came here on my Memorial Day trip to Chicago trip and was a little disappointed by my meal here.  This may have been partially affected by the phenomenal meal we had the night before at The Girl and the Goat that is in a similar price range and menu style that blew me away.

    The experience started off well when we were seated promptly from the time of our reservation.  The space itself is beautiful with tons of hanging globe lamps.  Some tables even have their own enclosed booths with swinging doors, which look like a lot of fun.  The beer menu was short but with some great choices, and I enjoyed my saison.  The whiskey list also looked good.  

    We had the oyster sampler of 6 to start and I appreciated the card that came along with the oysters, but they never told us which direction it started or from which one, so we were off the entire way.  They were fresh and tasty, but not very memorable.  The country ribs were ok, but coming from Texas they were average at best.  I was excited about the farm chicken, but it was dry and over seasoned.  

    Bottom line: pretty space, well chosen beer menu, disappointing meal

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/11/2011

    I've now eaten here twice and loved both experiences.  The bar staff is very helpful in selecting the best beer for your meal.  I've now had 4-5 of their beers and have loved everyone.  

    My most recent meal was a bit of a trip on the wild side.  I've been hearing Anthony Bourdain talk about Sweetbreads for a number of years and finally took the plunge on the advice of the staff.  THEY WERE AMAZING.  Slightly crunchy, meaty and a little sweet.  Looking forward to having them again sometime.  On top of that the charcuterie plate and taste of hams is to die for.  I highly recommend this place if you like delicious meats and great beer.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/10/2011

    5 stars: The waffle is one of the most delightful things I have ever eaten. I am normally not overly impressed by a simple waffle, but this one was the definite exception. It was perfectly crispy, yet light and airy like angel food cake. If I could eat it every day, I would. No lie.

    4.5 stars: Red Wine poached egg. Flavors melded beautifully and the red wine was subtle, yet added a nice depth to the eggs. I took off a half star because my eggs were a little overdone.

    3 stars: The sticky bun was good, but not great. The texture was on the tougher side and the sauce was a typical of sticky buns.

    Overall, great brunch, great serving ware, and great decor. I will definitely return on my next visit to Chi-town.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 5.0 star rating
    11/18/2010

    Easily the most impressive place I've been to since moving to Chicago.

    Here is what I really liked:
    Nice beer selection on tap
    Sustainable/locally sourced meats and produce
    Interesting and variable menu
    Perfect execution of dishes
    Great service
    While it wasn't cheap, I thought it was a good value (given the portion sizes and how delicious the food was eg the roast chicken dish is really big and really yummy)

    A slight complaint:
    I could use more IPAs on the beer list - lately they haven't really had much for hopheads on tap

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/19/2011

    Beer, pork, and oysters done well. Not much more to say. My only complaint is the community seating, just not my thing.

  • 2.0 star rating
    1/29/2011
    1 check-in

    Service?  Meh.  The host was wonderful and gracious, the servers...where the heck were they?  It was not a bad experience, I just felt very last minute to them and a little forgotten about.  If I hadn't been with such good company, I would have been a little annoyed.

    Beers were good, oysters good, sashimi good, aioli for the medicore frites good but our main dish was a bit of a flop.  Dungenous crab which was tasty over cubed undercooked and underseasoned squash.  Not a bad experience but unimpressed.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/7/2012

    As a bartender, I don't get many weekend nights off, so being able to hit The Publican on a real-live weekend night (after tearing my real-live ACL) had me all-a-flutter (or maybe its all the pain killers).  Nevertheless, The Publican offers, hands-down, the best meal you will ever have from inside a hog pen (seriously, the hog pens are part of the decor).  The simple but elegant "beer, oysters, and pork" concept, fresh ingredients, skillful execution, generous portions, and friendly service make this place five-star worthy in my humble and drug-addled opinion.  That, and they have Orval (the wifey's favorite beer).  Happy wife = happy life.  We bought the kitchen a 6 pack (which is an option on the menu) and they rang a huge bell and applauded us.  But it is we who should be applauding you. Keep up the good work!

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/14/2013

    We sat out on the patio so we didn't get to experience the full ambience of the dining room, but had a delicious meal nonetheless. The plates are meant to share and some on the smaller side, so don't be shy to order more than you think you should. We had the charcuterie plate with various salamis, pickled vegetables, and pork pie. The halibut ceviche was light and sweet. Roasted acorn squash with goat cheese and pecans was perfect - I'm definitely making this at home soon. We finished off with the pork cheeks, which were melt in your mouth succulent.

  • 3.0 star rating
    12/13/2010

    Am I the only person that doesn't really understand Publican?  At first I thought maybe I wasn't cool enough, or cultured enough, or pretty enough, or European enough.  

    I mean, it's okay.  The seating is just plain silly and if I wanted to hang out with people I didn't know I'd hit up Craigslist.  When I come to a restaurant I'd like to sit with the people I came with, and only the people I came with.  Is that too much to ask?

    I can't hate on Publican too much, as the beer menu is crazy extensive, and it serves Hannah's Bretzels.  Also, the restrooms are really cool.  But I guess that just sums up Publican...where the restrooms and the pretzels might be the best part of the restaurant.....

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/8/2010

    Good, but not great.  

    If Yelp allowed .5 star increments, it would give this place 3.5 stars.  

    We arrived and we're promptly seated on busy Labor Day evening.   Our server, did a good job explaining all of the favorites on the menu, ordered drinks, had good conversation.  

    -The first dish was served, but it was intended for another table, not ours.  

    -The second dish, the chef's tasting of oysters, was good, but it was missing a spoon for the mingnonette.   I would've liked another sauce option with the oysters, since I'm usually accustomed to eating my oysters with spicy sauces.

    -A "small" issue with the pork rinds.

    -The bread service, which I should believe should always come first, was served during the with the entrees.  

    -Out of the heirloom tomato salad.  This should never happen, 86 the item and give the remaining salads to a server to sell.  

    Overall, just a lot of minor details were missed during the meal.   Our server was great, but I felt like the runners and support staff needed to be on-the-ball better.  

    The food was good.  Very simple, but I was really expecting a lot more from this meal.  I still believe that Avec is Paul Kahan's best restaurant.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/10/2012

    I have to say that when I first saw the menu I was intrigued. This is a real foodie restaurant and I was excited. Lived up to the hype all the way. I'm coming back 100%

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/28/2011

    When my friend told me about a place that was known for its meat (and appropriately located in the meat-packing district), I had high expectations and The Publican more than met mine. The ambiance was nice and I loved the big chairs and tables and the eccentric pictures of pigs on the walls.

    Our server was extremely friendly and upfront about what was available for the night. He gave us great recommendations about beer and other drinks (I tried the hard cider).

    We ordered:
    - a round of oysters - they were so good! I had never tried raw oysters before in my life. These tasted really fresh and the flavors ranged from sweet to somewhat salty.
    - a cold plate - came with an assortment of prosciutto, sausages, and other sliced meats
    - a hot plate (my favorite) - rabbit sausage, beef tongue, pork confit and a few other things all tossed in a couscous

    You can find the exact descriptions on their website :)

    We also tried the dessert:
    - Rhubarb pie - excellent taste. Not too sweet, not too tart.
    - Waffle with blueberries

    Bottomline: if I'm ever in Chicago again, I will definitely go here. The food was tasty, the service was quick and the company was fantastic.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/12/2013

    Went for brunch today with a group of eight. Had a great experience waiting in the bar area, delicious bloody Mary's with beer accompaniment. Although they told us one hour, we were seated within 20 minutes of the entire party arriving. Everyone ordered something different and I loved almost everything I tried. The waffle was perfectly crisp with sweet and salty honey butter and blueberry jam, which I had with their perfectly seasoned sausage. The bacon was by far the biggest hit at our table. I also tasted the steak tartine, the pork belly pasta, the wine poached eggs, the lamb dish, and the poached eggs. No complaints about any of it. By far the best dining experience I have had in Chicago!

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/7/2012

    Went last night to celebrate my wedding anniversary with my husband. We had a great time and a great meal. This place is not a cozy romantic, intimate kind of restaurant, but we had a table for two and we both loved the "family style" concept. The best way to describe this is American Tapas. We ordered a collection of food, the plates came out in a various course order and all the food was terrific. I especially liked the ham taste we ordered, scallops, and sirloin. Even the coffee was delicious! I think this would be a terrific place to go with a large group, and sit in the communal tables.

  • 1.0 star rating
    8/3/2010

    On the plus side this place has a great beer selection and top notch cocktails. Best bloody mary I have had in a long time. The food was pretty good too but the service is a whole other story and fell beyond short in my book.

    I am a big fan of the communal dining setting but the inside of this restaurant takes it another step.

    I felt downright strange inside, as if I was a part of a wooded Alice and Wonderland Mad Hatter Party, upon gazing at the high backed numbered chairs. As I soaked it in with a drink I became more and more comfortable it but still it was too strange for me to handle in my hungover sunday state. So thankfully with the wonderful weather outside, I went back to the hostess and requested to sit outside.

    The first oddity of the meal began after we had ordered a round of cocktails at our bar "table", just like the ones they have outside at Avec, while waiting to sit down. The waitress took her sweet time bringing over the first round of drinks, but alas they were great I loved the Bloody Mary with the beer accompaniment! I had the Hitachino Nest Espresso and it was wonderful.

    While taking the first sip of my beer the waitress dropped the bill on the table without so much as a word to our party. Also, she neglected to bring the ice water I had asked for. You think someone would have the courtesy to ask if we liked our drinks before plunking down the bill.

    Alas, it is Sunday and I am very hungover so I quickly erase the it from my mind. But OH NO, this woman has the nerve to come back a few minutes later, interrupts my girlfriend while she is talking to tell me that the bill is on the table.

    THANKS A LOT @SSH@T, I saw it in plain view when you obnoxiously basically threw it at us the first time, I paid even though I contemplated asking to speak with the manager at this point but even more so wanted another drink considering we had to wait another 30 minutes to sit outside.

    At long last, after what seemed like eternity we were granted our wish to go outside. What a relief over the poorly lit, noise deafening, medieval dungeon inside. The table we were given though was strangely not clean, not only were there NO NAPKINS or silverware but two half full glasses of milk and one that had turned over on the table. WTF?!?

    We sat down to the table and I expected the hostess to see the mess and ask someone to clean it up but she walked away after plainly staring right at it! I had to ask a waiter to clean the table that should have already been clean, especially considering we had waited over 40 minutes to sit outside and not only that but half of the dining room was empty. After cleaning the table though, he left without putting silverware or napkins on the table...

    Another waiter came along and we ordered an omelet, pork confit sandwich, french toast, and fries with fried eggs. I also asked for napkins again...

    About 15 minutes later the squirrelly waiter comes back to tell me if forgot to tell me they are out of french toast. GREAT! So not only are they now out of french toast but he just finally managed to put the order in. This guy had the never to bluntly ask me "whatta want instead?"!

    HOW THE F$#K should I know what I want without seeing a menu genius, so I had to ask for a menu. At this point I was pissed off and just ordered the first thing I saw,  zucchini bread with pears. But wait.... there are still no napkins on the table so I have to ask again for them to be brought out.

    Another round of drinks comes out and finally our food about 20 minutes later. Guess what?

    STILL NO NAPKINS ON THE TABLE! IS ASHTON KUTCHER HIDING IN A VAN ON FULTON? AM I BEING PUNK'D?

    NO I WASN'T!

    SHAME ON YOU PUBLICAN!

    I calmly asked for napkins from another waiter, after giving up on the scat squirrel waiter, and finally got them.

    But wait!?! Looking around the table something is missing. Where is the order of fries? I ask the waiter and get an "OOOOOO SORRY MAAAN, I FORGOT ABOUT 'EM" I was so pissed off at this point, I was beyond words and just put my head down. Here's a tip rookie, if you can't remember 4 things that a table orders it is time to get a new F$&#ing job. I wanted to walk over to my car, get my mole skin notebook out of my car, and B*#CH slap him in the face to the ground.

    Overall the food was good but nothing spectacular to write home about from what I tasted, maybe dinner is better?

    The service really put a sour tasted in my mouth.

    I came here because of my personal Avec and Blackbird association with greatness and what I thought anything Paul Kahan touches but obviously Midas hasn't given his touch to Publican. I will not be returning anytime soon without some sort of  concession from the management.

    The service was beyond inexcusable. I don't mind throwing down over a $150 for a brunch for 3 but when immense disappointment becomes involved I have a problem. I look forward to hearing from the someone at the Publican on how to correct my experience.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/18/2012

    So I'm big on communal situations but not shabby! I actually had a great time getting our dishes confused with our neighbors & sparking conversation with cute boys! lol I had a blast with my 6 girls...lots of beer & laughter! The food not bad either...fresh, unique & damn tasty! My fav...the fried clams & tomatoes. Chicken & fries... wonderful....juicy & seasoned to perfection! Mussels....yum!  Great desserts...we had them all! lol The best was the bread pudding! Good job & well done for a total man cave! lol

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/9/2011

    So I've been here twice now and have really WANTED to like it.  You ALWAYS hear good things about this place.  

    So after my first time I couldn't review it.  I thought it was good, but not great.  I also followed some ordering advice from a couple hipsters next to us; should've known that was a bad idea too.  And my fault.  

    So I gave it a second chance and ordered what I thought would be good, not things that some emo ten-speeder next to me thought would be good.

    So let's start with infamous pork rinds that aren't that good.  Everyone raves about the pork rinds...and I've come to the conclusion that all these people have clearly NEVER bought pork rinds from a gas station.  Because they taste the exact same minus temperature.  I'm not saying they are bad.  They are just pork rinds, which is a fried pork skin, which really cannot be improved upon drastically.   Congrats to the Publican for realizing that their clientele wouldn't know this and then capitalizing on it.

    They do a lot of things right and it's an A-OK restaurant.  The charcuterie is good.  I especially like that pork pie makes an appearance.  And they even serve it at the proper temperature (cold or room temp).  I would love to hear how many people complain about this, because I'm sure it's a lot, but good for them to sticking to their pork pie guns.

    Everything else was good, but not super great.  The sweetbreads, the pork belly, and the other meat dishes all have the same basic savory umami flavor.  It's good, but it makes stuff all taste the same, minus the texture.

    The shrimp boil was also good.  The HUGE shrimp were fantastic and some of the best I've ever seen or eaten.  But they seemed too plain.  No old bay, no seasoning, and it was like eating a shrimp cocktail that was supposed to be a shrimp boil!

    The oysters were great.  If you are a raw oyster fan, just order every oyster they have on the menu, you won't regret it.  At a tail to snout dining place I was surprised at the qulity of the oysters and the selection.

    The ambiance is good, but this is more of a party place.  It gets LOUD!  Which is fine because it fits with the 'hall' type atmosphere.  But it's a dull roar and it makes it difficult to hear the waiters and waitresses, which is unfortunate because at a foodie place like this you really want to hear about the food.

    At the end of the day I'm still sad that I don't rave about this place like everyone else, but it's just not meant to be.  I'll still go, I'll even still recommend it and take friends.  And I will enjoy a good, but not mind-blowing, meal.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/10/2009

    It's not that we don't have tasty pig parts in the San Francisco area, because we do, but we don't have a spot that celebrates the pig in quite such an orgiastic fashion. The ham sampler was fantastic & everything else was very very good.

    Tip: the country ribs are delicious, but they are not what you think of as ribs... it's more like a grilled pork chop.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/16/2011

    Pork heaven.  A place that worships great beer and the pig was a must try for us. Their beer knowledge and selection was right on. We went with four people and ordered alot to try a good variety.
    For apps we had, oysters, Pork rinds, serrano ham, the halibut
    crudo (a-frickin amazing)..
    Then for dinner we had: Pork belly (oh my god), the farm chicken (the
    best chicken ever...so good), and the ham chop in hay (woo..crazy
    good).. and then the all time favorite the frites...those were
    incredible as well. For desert we had some gelato with a pigs ear,
    chocolate and ginger bread..
    And we got to sit in the pig pen..Such a great experience.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/18/2010
    Listed in I HEART CHICAGO

    the publican is located in an interesting area.  many warehouses and meat packing.  i guess the area is up and coming with some restaurants around the corner.  

    this gastropub has communal tables.  it felt like we were in a hip, expensive cafeteria.  started out with complimentary bread w/butter.  

    don't remember what kind of beer was ordered but the waiter knew the beers and wines well.  you just let them know if you want some beer that is light, dark, amber, lager, ale, etc..  

    spicy pork rinds --  we ordered them because of rave reviews, but it's
                                     just okay.  

    chef's selection oysters -- surprisingly fresh since it is the midwest
                                     after all!!  half of them came from the west coast;
                                     the other half from the east coast.  the sauce in the
                                     middle complemented the oysters nicely...an
                                     onion-vinegar mixture.

    little gem salad -- romaine lettuce, radish in a light viniagrette

    feojada -- pork 3 ways: pork shoulder, sausage, tenderloins on a bed
                     of cranberry beans (aka white beans).  we enjoyed this dish
                     very much.  the best was the pork shoulder.

    service was good.  i've noticed that in chicago, the bus boys are really there to work hand in hand with the waiters.  when hubby got up to go to the restroom, the busboy grabbed his napkin from the chair, folded it, and place it neatly on the table.  water always refilled and plates cleared.

    overall, the publican is a nice, casual atmosphere to get together.

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/2/2012
    2 check-ins

    Apparently, I never finished(started) my Publican review from 6/28/10... Back then, it was to be 5 stars. I remember getting (but great) expensive beer, a yummy side of broccoli with a runny egg, and some meat dish. However, during my most recent visit, I would give it 3.
    Let me explain...

    Coming back to Publican was greatly anticipated in the year 2012. On our last visit, we were so excited for the amazing beer selection, both reasonably priced and pieced out in to sections of your liking. Definitely a plus in my book. That is still the same, thankfully. Still good beer at great prices if you don't want to get too heavy. Our service was also wonderful and we were seated in non communal seating-much appreciated since it was the beau's birthday and I was treating :)

    On our visit this time, we were again sat at a two-top by the window. +1 I think if you book through Open Table, they are less likely to see you communally, but don't quote me on that.

    Here is what we ordered and you'll see why I'm only awarding them 3 stars this time around. I'll start with the best...going down to the not so great...
    1. Hopslam on draft for $5. Amazing! Coming in at 10%, this alcohol will leave you buzzed but not full, and the aroma is perfectly light and not too sweet.
    2. The bread--ok, yea, I said it. The side of bread they give you and the bread accompanying the mussels was fantastic. Rustic, perfectly sliced, and baked. No super seasoning of any sort; it was perfect just being bread.
    3. Grilled Country Rib- full size at $23. Probably the only things besides the beer that was worth the $$. It was so tender, and with the cheese sprinkled on the plate, I loved it even more. There was some fat I spit out, but you'll have that...
    4. Shaved Brussel sprouts (side) Wonderful, nothing to complain about here but it does look like they come at a hefty price $12--really?? We didn't even pay that much for BS in NYC. I digress...they were good.
    5. Mussels half order at $15. Again, a little bit of a hefty price for half mussels, BUT, the portion they give you is pretty generous. The bread, like I said, was fabulous but there was WAY more of it than there was broth. It was like Costco sized bread. The broth for the mussels was one of the best I've EVER had. That being said, there was barely ANY of it and with our copious amounts of yeast, there was barely anything to soak up. Also, the mussels were dry, small, and didn't seem to have any seasoning on them. Bummer!
    6. 1/2 Charcuterie plate. $15. Wasn't my favorite of all C-plates in the city but there was an awesome sausage link on there that I could have had plenty more of on ma plate.
    7. Dessert- Chocolate Waffle Ice cream. Sounds amazing, right?! Wrong. There was virtually no, I mean NO chocolate on there, with a few sprinkled pistachios and a tiny ass amount of ice cream that did not taste like cinnamon at all. There was some powdered sugar though...At $8, I was anticipating some dripping chocolate in my mouth. Nope.

    I was expecting to say more about Publican this time than, "the bread was SOOO yummy", but really, that was kind of my feeling.

    Sad... but I vote Girl and the Goat over Publican.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/13/2010

    Stopped in last Thursday for dinner. It was my second visit following a dinner in February.  I wondered if my unfinished 5-star review from the February visit would hold up and it did. I was just as much, maybe even more impressed this time around than last.

    We had reservations for 7:30 and although a bit late were seated in a cage booth, which I think is pretty cool due to the exclusivity factor of the doors.  

    My last visit I had enjoyed the Sunner Kolsch, but being no longer available, I tried and liked the Einbecker Pilsner $6 my friend and I ordered the Chacuterie plate $21as an appetizer, which was along with the bread they serve could have substituted for an entree.  It was a nice assortment of meats and pickled items acidic enough to bring out the flavors of the meats.

    It was by no surprise that I ordered again the Grilled Chicken, this time a half with summer sausage $22 and we also had the Suckling Pig $21, which I was not as impressed with, but was surprisingly better the next day cold!  For round two of beers, my friend had the  Monk's Sour Red Ale $6 and I decided to try the Weihenstephaner Lager $6 which was just as good as the German pilsner I tried.

    Our server, Justin was spot on and provided good recommendations for beer based on the foods ordered and also gets a kudos for the blueberry granita he recommended for dessert.

    Valet for $8, but also street parking can be found. Publican...come to L.A.!

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/29/2012
    1 check-in

    If you love pork then this is the place to go to.  Great menu.  Great tasting food.  Wonderful beer selection.  Great communal table set up.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/29/2011
    1 check-in

    Absolutely love this place.  Been three times so far and have never been disappointed.   Great oysters to start, amazing beer selection and the pork belly is divine.  I almost recommend the frites with a fried egg on top, the sweetbreads, the rillettes and the country ribs.

    If you love oysters, pork and beer, you will love the Publican.

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/18/2011

    I've been to Publican three times so you gotta be thinking I must love it. I don't know. I love great beers and so any place that's got a superb beer selection (and they do) is on my radar. Having recently been "hopped" out in Oregon--Gawd do those guys love their hops!--I needed a few malty Belgians (ooo, now THAT sounds kinky!) and Publican has more than enough to choose from. And I appreciate that. I really do. But do they have to charge the price of an entree for them? I suppose they want and need to weed out the grungy beer geeks that don't go with the decor but I find their prices borderline offensive.
    That said, I keep going back so obviously one can overlook the price-gouging for some quality pig and wonderful beer pairings.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/21/2010

    The Publican has quickly become my favorite place in Chicago.  

    Here is how it's pitched on the "corporate" website.

    From the team behind Blackbird and avec comes this homage to beer, pork and fish. Executive Chef Paul Kahan and Chef de Cuisine Brian Huston have developed a network of purveyors to supply the restaurant with hand-selected, sustainably-harvested fish and seafood as well as sustainably-raised heirloom pork to anchor a rustic menu of simple, eclectic fare. The extensive international beer list, developed by partners Eduard Seitan and Terry Alexander, features 100 or so ales, lagers, stouts and ciders by the bottle, 12 of those available on tap. Like Blackbird and avec, The Publican is a design partnership from the James Beard Award-winning team of Thomas Schlesser and partner Donnie Madia. The Publican is a sister restaurant of avec and Blackbird.

    I don't know many people that would knock anything these guys touch, but as far as I'm concerned, Publican tops my list.

    I absolutely adore this place.  It's warm and inviting.  I love coming and hate leaving.  The beer... oh the beer.  A magnificent selection of some of the most impressive brews I've ever seen.  Make no mistake, this is not a Hopleaf, Maproom type of list... This is a list that seems to focus on carefully selected European varieties, each one more "elegant" than the next.

    The food is flawless.  You know when a waiter debones a fish at the table for you with ease (which can be tricky if you don't know what you're doing) that this joint ignores no detail.

    The menu can feature up to 10 different types of oysters and some gorgeous seafood selections.  You'll also find an excellent charcuterie plate, blood sausage, buodin blanc, bollito misto (one of my favs - turkey, pork shoulder, cotechino & salsa verde), and one hell of a seafood tower.

    The sundries in the washroom don't even escape scrutiny.  A $26.00 set of Lime & Coriander hand lotion and soap are neatly displayed in sharp looking restrooms.

    All of this aside, this place is right up my alley... it draws me like a magnet, and is always the first spot that pops into my head when I'm going to dine out in Chicago.  The atmosphere, food and libations are not to be missed.

    Bottom line?  If you don't like it, you're an idiot.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/23/2011

    I have been here twice, second time was better than the first.

    The only wish I have is for them to put cushioned seats, padded walls, or something to muffle the noise a little. Concrete floors and wooden tables make for a noisy dining experience. You really have to yell to hear the person across the table.

    Things to order:
    You can't go wrong with some chicharron aka fried pork skins and a good beer. (Zepyr is my fav).
    Shrimp and fried grits. Can i say O.M.G? yeah, O.M.G.
    Fried clams were pretty tasty
    This time we ordered a cusscus (that is their spelling) with rabbit sausage, beef tongue, and duck. This was one of my favorite dishes of the night! There was literally one bite of couscous that no one could stomach, so I packed it up!. Yeah, I wont let that go to waste!

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/22/2011
    1 check-in

    YUM! So much yum!

    We had the pork rinds, sweetbread and the mussels. I had few beers too but I forget the name of them. There was only two of us so I that's all the food we got. Everything was delicious and service was top notch.

    I will definitely be going back to try their seafood extravaganza thingie. You're supposed to call ahead and their chef gets to choose what seafood to serve. Sounds awesome!

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/13/2010
    Listed in My Kind of Town...

    On a TV somewhere, Spain was about win the world cup.

    Who cared? Not me.

    I was a sweet breakfast guy caught in savory breakfast heaven and I loved every minute of it.

    We sat down at those long, almost endless tables and dug in with a drink. We came to play. The Fulton Street Fizz is a gin lover's dream. Nice and crisp. The coffee was equally good and strong. Breakfast came and I ordered eggs poached in wine - which had me conflicted because I loved the eggs but would've drunk the wine. The eggs were served on sour dough bread and were cooked to perfection. The bread started to fall apart but still had enough substance to dip the bread. The side salad was nice and light.

    Of course, we got some sausage and bacon to share. For God's sake its on the sign, the menu and the napkin. You've gotta try the pig. I'm only human. Are you judging me? No, you're craving the pig too. I knew it.

    Go here and eat. You will be happy.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/13/2010

    Had the good fortune of eating here on a trip to the windy city. This place is a mecca for pork and  served me one of the best brunches I've ever had. Maple braised pork belly, red wine poached eggs, great beer, outstanding service and some of the coolest "booths" or should I say "pens" (as in pig pens) to sit in. I would love to go here again someday, but Chicago is a ways a way..bummer..
    It is a must try if you're in Chicago. A truly excellent experience. Go there...

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/13/2011
    1 check-in

    Unfortuantely didn't get to eat here, just drink - but I thought the place was amazing.

    The interior looks like we are in a scene from Beowful, drinking our mead about to slay some dragons. That makes a winner for me already, because let's face it, that book was amazing.

    Great craft beer selection, nice whiskeys, can't wait to try the food.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/24/2011

    A solid first West Loop restaurant.

    General experience pros and cons:

    Pros:
    - The set-up of communal tables makes it easy for big groups and sharing dishes.
    - The booths are pretty cool looking.. very private and enclosed the entire table.
    - The waitstaff (once seated) was attentive without being overbearing. Our waiter was also very helpful with suggestions for both beer and food, even though he suggested to order wayyyy more dishes than we could actually consume.

    Cons:
    - We had made a reservation for 4 and our 4th was running late (and eventually couldn't make it). They wouldn't seat us until our 4th showed, and when we realized he wasn't coming, they gave away our table under a BS guise that the group "had had this reservation for like, 3 weeks." Okay, Hostess Lady, I don't believe you, but that isn't going to seat me sooner so I'll smile and play nice. Just note that they won't seat you until your full party has shown up.
    - It was loud, but I suppose that's part of the charm. This was originally supposed to be a working dinner, but since we put the laptops away, it wasn't too terrible.
    - The food came out extremely rapid-fire, which was nice because it was all fresh and hot, but hard to manage everything coming out so quickly!

    And now, the most important part -- the beer/food!

    To start, I asked our waiter for a beer suggestion -- my favorite are Hefeweizens/lighter beers, to which he immediately suggested the Weihenstephaner Vitus.. He said it with such convinction that I had to order it, and I'm glad I did. Spot on. It was so good, I think I may have a new favorite!

    Anyways, since we were hungry, we started laundry-listing pretty much anything we even sort-of thought looked good.. and our waiter even suggested we should order more than we listed. I think we went with about 8-10 dishes in total.

    Here were some of my favorites:

    Tomato salad - overall, my favorite dish of the night. I know, I was faced with some ridiculously amazing stuff, but I really really REALLY enjoyed this salad. I wasn't too sure of it because um, who puts tomato, watermelon, yogurt and dill together on a plate?! But it all worked so nicely and was very light and refreshing.

    Smoked salmon on toast - Came with some sort of dipping sauce that was absolutely delicious.

    Mussels - pretty standard as compared to other steamed mussels in broth, but the bread that was served with it was actually really good. Super crusty and warm - yummy and perfect for zope'ing!

    We also got fries (which I didn't care for, but another in my party liked them a lot so I guess it's a matter of taste), flank steak (cooked perfectly.. very raw/still moo'ing.. happy happy), and snapper over lime beans and roasted red peppers.. it was all so delicious, but needless to say, it was a lot of food, and after we finished all of that we realized that we had ordered about 3 MORE plates.. to which we told our waiter enough! .. Where is the dessert menu??? :)

    For dessert, we got a cup of the sour cherry sorbet (good, but a little too sour) and the waffle with salted cashews and ice cream. The waffle was big enough to share.. and it was sooooo delicious. I would like to try the blueberries and honey butter next time though!

    All in all, an excellent meal and another Chicago restaurant I can check off my bucket list. I will definitely be back!

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/16/2011
    1 check-in
    Listed in Top Restaurants

    I'm not sure how I came here twice for drinks/appetizers  (great beer list, so-so appetizers) but never made it to dinner...until a couple of days ago.  

    This is hands down one of the best meals I have ever had. I go to bed dreaming of it. I'm drooling just thinking of the food.
    Fair warning - I am sucker for pork belly so I may be a bit biased here since it is probably my favorite dish; however, I've also had my fair share of mediocre pork belly and will admit when it's just okay. I may be partially influenced by the phenomenal beer I was drinking with my meal, but I insist that this is the best pork belly that I have yet to consume. They give you a slab of pork belly that is about two playing cards in length (but a little thinner in width). Your teeth first hit a crispy skin brushed with a slightly tangy Asian sauce, and sink into the buttery flesh of pork belly which simply melts in your mouth. One bite and you are taken to another world.

    Before the pork belly, was the duck prosciutto. Generally, I enjoy prosciutto but don't go crazy over it. This duck prosciutto was not kidding around. Served with delicate slices of cheese, strawberries and arugula. The salty and sweet flavors burst in your mouth, melting together in pure joy and once again, melting in your mouth the way fine food should. I was mid sentence when this sucker went into my mouth - stopped, paused, eyes widened and looked up in bliss, lost my train of thought and said "holy crap, this is amazing."

    While it was a bit pricey (we spent $50/person), it was completely worth it. We also got the tuna, which was good but not mind blowing. The half chicken was  juicy, and full of flavor. It's just not at the top of my list since chicken, in general, is not my favorite. However, this was hands down one of the best chicken dishes that I have had. Bonus is that it comes with sausage and french fries.

    I will definitely be back for more full on meals. The atmosphere is also really cute - all wood with giant pig pictures around.

  • 2.0 star rating
    1/22/2011

    I know lots of people that love Publican and that's fine I guess, but it is not for me. Call me crazy, but I am not a fan of eating extremely expensive food in an environment inspired by a slaughterhouse. The seating options are as follows - you can either eat at the bar, with people you don't know at a long table built for vikings, or in what is basically an enclosed pig pen. I just know someone is having a good laugh at the idea that people will pay a lot of money to sit in a pen and get treated like an animal and that idea haunted me through out my meal. Not only is eating in a pen fairly claustrophobic, but it gave the restaurant a Patrick Batemen-esque vibe that I cannot forgive.

    I will say that the food was okay, but not enough to make up for the unpleasant seating, or really even good enough to justify the cost. We ordered two things I had heard people rave about (the pork belly and pork rinds) and thought both were pretty average. My group of four split three desserts and I can honestly say that I disliked ALL of them. The trifle tasted like it had croutons in it, I kid you not. And there is something offensive about selling a perfectly ordinary waffle with butter and jam for $7! My favorite dish was actually the brussels sprouts, served on a bed of cheese, which was very tasty. If I could somehow magically eat those again without entering the restaurant, I would.

    I know someone somewhere is reading this review, a tear in their eye, cursing me as a vegan, but that is not the case. I love bacon; I just don't like Publican. If you are a fan though, I have a book suggestion for you - be sure to check out "The Restraint of Beasts" by Magnus Mills from your local library.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/19/2011

    I had pretty high expectations headed into my dinner at The Publican.  Partly from the awesome reviews on Yelp and partly because two of my favorite things in the world are pork and beer.  Not only was the beer list extensive, but it also met the needs of everyone in our group.  I asked our server for a recommendation and she was beyond helpful.  She made several suggestions, but was at no point pushy.  

    The food was excellent and the atmosphere was even better.  I have every intention of getting a giant fattened pig portrait for my home.  I have yet to inform my wife, but I think she'll get used to it.  Back to the service and atmosphere.  We tried a variety of smaller plates for appetizers and shared amongst our group.  This worked out wonderfully.  The dishes were tasted excellent and timed perfectly.  We didn't even notice the lag time between our entrees we were having such a good time.  Our server on the other hand did notice this however and was kind enough to give us a free dessert.  That didn't stop us from ordering two more desserts which were fantastic.  I count myself among the 1,000 + that love The Publican and plan to return.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/15/2012

    This place would get a 1 star, as it has ruined food for me forever, but I can't in good conscience lower the average of this place. I'm never going to find enjoy food like that again.

    So everything about this place is fantastic. I came here with my old roommate, we ordered a flight of Belgian beers which was very good. We ended up getting several dishes, as the portions were varied and it was family style. The ham plate was very good, a raw fish place which was phenomenal, a cooked salmon which was very good, beef heart which was excellent, and a rib which was arguably the best thing I have ever eaten in my life. I am the type of person to gnaw the bone after finishing, but only after this meal was I licking my own fingers because it was that good. The service was great, waitress was never far. In addition, my water was never empty. They not only left a full bottle on my table, but somehow the busboy was ALWAYS there to pour it or his own bottle into my glass. The dessert of course was also amazing.

    Our only regret was not bringing a change of pants...

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/2/2010

    I wouldn't mind going back to try the dinner but probably not for brunch.

    The space seemed to amplify sound so it was very noisy in there, much noisier than any cafeteria I've been in. We had to strain our ears and raise our voices in order to maintain conversation.

    The red wine poached eggs were good, but there wasn't enough bearnaise sauce for the bread. The braised short ribs were a tad salty. The portion sizes were on the smaller side.

    The biggest disappointment were the frites and pork rinds. To be fair, I wasn't impressed with the trendy Belgian frites in NYC either, and this is supposed to be the same thing, without the fancy dipping sauces. It was just greasy, soggy, and the dipping sauce was bland like mayo. Fox and Obel's cafeteria serves up fries with truffle aioli, and that's actually worth the 5 bucks. The pork rinds are better not to mention cheaper at your local gas station.

    Service was fine.

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/28/2011
    1 check-in

    I'll join everyone else when I say the atmosphere and décor are top notch and not done justice through pictures. It's a lively "beer hall" style experience with communal tables and a standing bar area. The room has a nice rumble of noise emanating from happy eaters and drinkers. It's a place that encompasses happy people all sharing a similar experience drinking and eating good food. The beer list is quite interesting and full of choices you might not find in many places in Chicago. Don't expect to find $3 bud lights or PBRs and most beers are large format with large format type prices.

    We ordered a lot of food not because we were particularly hungry but because we wanted to sample what was on the menu that evening. For starters we had an order of pork rinds, French fries with an egg on top and steak tartare. I could stop right there and explain how eating those dishes would be more fat and cholesterol that I would want to consume in an entire week. But as they say, "when in Rome"...I've never been a pork rind fan and that didn't change much after some of ones I had. If you get a good one that is light and airy, I can see the appeal. I also had one that was super tough and a potential tooth breaker. Oh well, maybe it's a sign. Not surprising the fries with egg was awesome. What could be better than fried potatoes with eggs? Sounds like breakfast to me. We both were disappointed in the steak tartare - it tasted a bit more chewy and rare than the better ones I've had. It also lacked some basic flavor and seasonings. You shouldn't be reminded that you're eating raw meat.

    The two fish dishes we tried were the squid and sablefish. I didn't mind nor didn't love the squid dish. It was served with a nice brown rice and some greens with avocado. The raw squid is exactly what it sounds like, raw little octopus guys. Not a whole lot going on without a lot of flavor either, but that's the appeal of raw seafood right? The smoked sablefish was an interesting fish I don't think I've had before. It was served on rye bread with fromage blanc, beets & endive. The dish was well presented and cooked, though I imagine sablefish is a strong flavor that you either like or don't like. I'm in between but probably leaning on don't like since I doubt I'd run back to order that dish again.

    We went with two meat dishes, blood sausage and spare ribs. I actually liked the blood sausage even though I definitely don't want to know how that's made. There were a lot of good and interesting flavors with a texture I could handle. The spare ribs were not my favorite and more challenging to eat than I expected. As Brendan noted, they gave you the whole darn rump, with all the fat and cartilage intact. Even if the meat was tasty it was very hard to get at without a lot of work or consuming "the extras." We also ordered a side of ramps, a.k.a. wild leeks, something I had never tried before. I enjoyed them and the basic presentation but flavorful sauce and cooking flavors. I guess it's a unique taste a la collard greens or similar root vegetables. Maybe I was just craving something green after all the pork and meat.

    I had a few great beers but could not tell you which ones because I just asked our server to bring me something good. When it was all said and done the check arrived and I was definitely surprised. Yes, we ordered a lot of food and didn't eat all of it but looking at a $160 bill for two is still a little startling. And apparently that's not uncommon from what I could gather. So what's my takeaway? It's a great place to hang out and drink with a very tailored menu. If you're not a huge pork or oyster/raw bar person I don't know if it's a good fit. I can see the talent of the kitchen in their product even if it's not something I'd order every day or ever again. Everyone raves about two things I have yet to try: the pork belly and the Sunday brunch (one of the best in town?). While it may not become a favorite go-to for me, I'd suggest everyone to check it out in case the food matches the impressive décor, service and drinks (but bring your larger wallet).

  • 2.0 star rating
    9/10/2010

    Food was tasty, but our experience was ruined by cold, awkward, bad service. I happened to be dining with 2 chef friends, and we are all food and service educated.

    Our server was knowledgeable but condescending and seemed to want to tell us what to order rather than suggest.. However, he mistook nectarine jam on the charcuterie plate for ratatouille?  Also, the side staff ~ bussers and food runners were rushed and abrupt.  

    I don't like or want new side plates for every shared course. They also wanted to pull plates off the table that weren't finished?

    Also, he addressed us as 'team' everytime he stopped by? Uh, that's just dumb. He explained it was a communal table thing. Which makes no sense.

    Decor is minimal and pleasant, but the din was terrible. Communal, open seating is fine, but noise reduction is a necessary component. Busy and active can add to ambience but no one likes sound bouncing all over the room.

    Love Avec another of their restaurants and would go back there in a heartbeat. Publican is a miss for me and I won't be returning.

    PROS: Pork rinds, white sausage plate, chef's oyster selection, pickle plate. Again, all the food was tasty but not mind-blowing.

    CONS:  Bad, bad service, loud atmosphere

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/5/2010
    1 check-in

    My favorite restaurant in Chicago.

    The style is unique.  You're either sitting in one of the pig pen booths or at the communal tables.  The setting? Casual.  The prices? Reasonable for brunch ($10-15)  The food?  Fantastic.

    Bacon--fat chunk of pig-belly like bacon that is carmelized to offer your taste buds a slightly sweet and more so salty juicy piece of bacon.  The best bacon I've had

    Fried french toast--2 slices of 1 inch fat french toast with pear sauce on top, maple syrup and a sausage.  The french toast was generous, rightly fried, and went well with the pear sauce.

    French fries and egg--simple things such as french fries and sea salt were crunchy and nice done.

    Pork cheek sandwich--soft, juicy, good.

    Pork rinds--Personally not a fan of pork rinds, but I kept on eating these spicy-powdered pork rinds.  They were fun.

    This was quite an extraordinary establishment to eat at.  The food was New American style with a farm-like concept.  I highly recommend.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/15/2010
    Listed in Chicago It-List

    Definitely a great gastropub to hang out with great friends for the atmosphere and the beers.

    The beer/wine selection was extensive. The ambiance was festive, the service attentive.  The food selections were pricey and tiny but mostly good.

    Be ready to sit very close to your neighbors since the chairs are all placed very close one another but very nice decor.

    Since the only reservation slot available for that Friday was 10 pm (I called at 4pm) and we didn't want to wait until 10, we took a chance venturing out there sans reservations and totally lucked out by snagging 2 of the 5 remaining first-come-first-serve bar seats at 6 pm with no wait.... within minutes of our arrival, every one of the 9 seats at the bar would be occupied, at least for the next 40 minutes.  

    We had the following..

    Trappistes Rochefort Belgian Ale ($13) - goes very well with bar food. Very tasty.

    Chef selection of 6 oysters ($15) - 3 west coast and 3 east coast oysters. Tasty but not exceptional.

    Spicy pork rinds ($5) - super light, very little grease, excellent texture, taste and flavorings.

    Charcuterie plate ($21) - featuring pork pie, pork-foie gras terrine (excellent), coffee cured pancetta, morteau sausage (very tasty), pickles & mustards were all good.

    However, I was not a fan of that lardo on bread since it was just fat and bread. Yuck.

    Pork belly ($21) - did not impress and was way overrated. Just a piece of not-very-tender-pork. Very plain and very average.

    I'm used to tender, melt-in-your-mouth, expertly seasoned Kurobota pork bellies or even pork prepared in ethnic restaurants. So I'd say just pass on the Pork Belly at The Publican.

    Overall, great experience!

  • 3.0 star rating
    11/14/2011

    I went here for dinner on Saturday night and I was slightly disappointed. First, it was so hot in the restaurant that I couldn't get comfortable. We asked our waiter, the hostess and other servers who came to our table to turn down the heat or turn on the air conditioning. It was so bad that my boyfriend actually got up from the table to go stand outside to cool off. I think the heat wouldn't have been as bad if the seating situation was different as well. We were a party of four sitting in the middle of one of the long tables in the middle. So I felt squished next to strangers, people were standing behind me at the high top bar tables, and I was sweating because it was so hot.  The communal tables are fun, but not when you feel like you can't get any air.

    Now for the food. I ordered some oysters and they were excellent. I also had the mussels and they were divine. The broth was buttery and light and was delicious with the fresh bread. We also waited for 25 minutes after my reservation so the restaurant gave us complimentary pork rinds and French fries.  That was a nice touch. The French fries were ok, the pork rinds had too much dry cheese on them. Great texture and perfectly  crunchy.

    We also ordered the three types of ham to try. It was delicious. The blood sausage was too far out there for us. Our waiter suggested it, but I could only eat a few bites. The scallops were very good, the pomegranate seeds added a nice touch. We also ordered the suckling pig, this was the best dish by far. The potee was ok, a little salty and I didn't care for the one cut of the meat.

    We ordered the chocolate cake and coconut sorbet for dessert. They were ok. We really enjoyed the New Zealand Pinot noir. It was light and was a great pairing for both meat and fish. I will probably not return, but I would like to try one of the other restaurants the chef owns. This place was definitely worth a try though.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/5/2011 Updated review

    Went back to Publican over the weekend and had a very enjoyable Brunch.

    Service was very good from our server to our attentive busser who made sure that we were always looked after. Had the French pressed coffee and it was worth the extra few bucks from the regular coffee.

    I had the Hanger steak which was very tough (I know hanger steak isn't a tender cut but thought it would be marinated at Publican to make it more tender). The potaoes and eggs were great with the steak but still the main part of the dish was only average and I didn't finish the steak.

    Mrs had the red wine poached eggs which she realy enjoyed and we shared the Publican bacon (amazing, if you go you have to get it) and the hash browns which are the best I have ever had.

    Had a waffle for dessert and it again was very good but I've had better. Again feel that Publican isn't far off a five star review but a tough steak was the difference between 4 and 5 stars.

    4.0 star rating
    5/13/2010 Previous review
    I was really tempted to give a five star review and The Publican isn't far off 5 stars. The decor is… Read more
The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

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  • 4.0 star rating
    6/2/2011

    My meal here was just short of outstanding.

    I flew in from L.A. and my flight had landed much earlier than expected and with lighter traffic than usual as well, I arrived to the restaurant almost 2 hours early and they were still able to easily accommodate us.

    The hostess was one of the friendliest girls I've ever met and our server was a pretty lady rocking some tattoos (awesome). I've been wanting to try this place for so long, I could barely contain myself when I got the menu and ordered 6-7 things for my sister and me.
    Though none of it was considered forgettable, I actually only remember a few spectacular things. First, the fresh pork rinds were so so so so good. Hot, fresh, crispy and still slightly crackling with that savory powder sprinkled all over it. Perfection.. really.
    The charcuterie plate had all sorts of goodies and though my sister thought a lot of it looked questionable (as it should!) she still tried a bite of everything and went back for a second serving.
    The waitress was also very helpful in selecting beers and now we both have a new favorite cherry beer as well as very fond memories of this place.

    The only complaint I had was the dessert being a little overly sweet and pretty underwhelming but it didn't tarnish my meal at all. I love you Paul Kahan.

  • 2.0 star rating
    4/26/2012

    My husband and I went to the Publican and we were both pretty disappointed.  We ordered a tasting of three hams and the portion did not match the price.  It was nothing that you couldn't find at Caputos. I did enjoy the oysters, but when it comes to oysters, unless the oyster is bad, you can't really mess them up. The duck fat french fries are being done everywhere, and I'm just not sure about the communal table and communal bathroom sitch. The table is communcal, but the attitudes of those around you=not so much which led to awkwardness. For those prices, I would like full size portions, and a full size table to myself. I WANT to like the Publican, so I would try it again, because the staff is friendly and the space is nice. I love cured meats, I love beer, let's make this work people.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/19/2010

    Oh, Publican, how I crave your spicy pork rinds...

    We had some friends in from Boston and made reservations for around 9 pm. I am not sure how we got it, but we were able to get one of the tables that resembles a stall (and I mean, as in pig stall) - it was so impressive! The joint is boisterous and jovial and feels somewhat European.

    We decided to order items like tapas. We kicked it off with the chef's choice of oysters (that evening was east coast vs. west coast - we all love east coast) and an order of their signature spicy pork rinds (that melted in your mouth).

    Next we ordered up the Chareuterie plate - pork pie, pork-foie gras terrine, liverwurst, coffee cured pancetta, toulouse sausage, pickles and mustard.  My husband is now addicted to foie gras...

    Then the Bouchot mussels from Maine - gueuze, bay, celery, butter and garlic and the squash from Kankakee, IL with mushrooms, celery, mint and pecorino romano.

    The main course? The 'Ham in Hay'. We saw this dish on the Food Network and HAD to order it. Ham in Hay with peaches, farmers cheese, saba and basil. DELISH!~

    I LOVED Publican and am already planning my next trip. I recommend calling way in advance if you are having more than 2 people and go earlier if you don't like the noise.  Another tip: While I am usually a wine lover, I highly recommend experimenting with their awesome beer menu!

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/11/2011

    After 700 plus reviews, there is not much I can add. The atmosphere is fantastic, the beer list is impressive, the food is fantastic (we loved the ribs and the chicken). The whole chicken is definitely enough for two! Great place to bring a date or a group of friends. Just make a reservation!!

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/1/2011
    1 check-in

    Okay Publican, I owe you a 5 Star review and here it is...

    I brought the 'fam here for my birthday this year and so glad that I did. I found my new favorite beer at the recommendation of our waiter, Lagunitas Little Sumpin Sumpin mmmm. Our waiter was even able to identify a beer that my mom liked (not an easy task by any means).

    Food was wonderful: Mussels, pickles, prosciutto perfectly grilled fish cooked whole and prepared tableside.

    Publican- I will be seeing you again, that is for sure

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/26/2012
    1 check-in

    We had some reservations....we had to get to the Publican by 10:30.  So a little lazy morning and back to the CTA blueline Old Irving stop by just after nine.  Quickly hopped on and into the city we went!  Hmmm.  This time we have to get off a bit before downtown.  Oooh.  Coool views of the City from here but really nothing to see upclose.  It's in an old warehouse district so no shopping really to do, just follow the directions to the Publican.   This is the place I have been really looking forward to.  It's got a nice modern vibe...lost of young twenty somethings in jeans and too cool haircuts working here.  The menu is full of funky yet not pretentious food choices.  Oysters on the half shell coming from 6 different places.  Wow!  I love good fresh oysters.  They came with some sort of vinegar but I just couldn't abuse these little guys with any sort of added flavor.  But I did taste it and it was tasty as well.  The crackers that came with the oysters were ok.  But nothing really to be looking forward to.  We also ordered the Chachouka for Ly.  And I ordered the Pork Schnitzel with Waffles and we shared a side of bacon.  Thick hunks of bacon.  Not slices at all but thick cut with a fork pieces.  The food was great and tasty.  My pork Schnitzel was good...but of course I really don't have a comparison so all I can say is that they were enjoyable.  The prices were hefty but I planned on that.  Ly' wasn't as impressed...not because it wasn't GREAT but because we have had equal experiences in Reno, most recently at Campo.  One thing I thought was cool about the place was the communal washing station for the restrooms.  They have 5 individual doors marked 3 for women and 2 for men.  Each door has a bathroom stall in it.  You do your business and then come out to wash up in the middle.  The place takes communal to the next level.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/26/2011
    Listed in Brunch

    I'd been wanting to try The Publican's brunch for awhile and Father's Day seemed the ideal reason to go. It did not disappoint -

    First, i am generally wary of communal tables, for example, I can't stand the set up at Sunda, the chairs suck and the people next to you are up in your business, but was willing to give Publican a shot, and was pleasantly surprised. The tables are large enough that it is still a fairly intimate setting. The decor is warm and inviting, i adore the pig pictures - the ambiance in general is great.

    Second, the food was FANTASTIC. The menu is slightly unusual, and I wasn't sure what to order so I just got everything I thought I'd want to eat.

    1. Sticky bun (nom nom nom)
    2. Mussels (good, but i prefer mussels in a tomato broth, these felt a little bland).
    3. Red wine poached egg (I really liked this, the wine doesn't really flavor the egg, but it was poached to perfection and i would eat cardboard if bernaise sauce was involved).
    4. Grilled salmon with beets and eggs (weird combo but SO GOOD)
    5. Hanger steak with cucumber salad (meh, it was good, but not outstanding when compared to the other dishes)

    I was a little disappointed that there weren't oysters on the menu, as i've heard so much about them, but overall the meal was AMAZING and all three of us left satisfied. I have high expectations for the dinner menu.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/5/2011

    This place is awesome!!  I wish we had a place like this in Houston.  The food is great and the beer list is extensive.  

    Of the 14 dishes that my party (3 guys) shared, only 3 of them were so-so.  The rest of the dishes were wonderful.  We all agreed the best item was the Pork Belly.  Get it, you won't regret it.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/25/2011

    You know the feeling you get when you're at a museum or a really nice store and see things behind glass that you wish you could touch?  Honestly, that was the feeling I had when the food started coming out last night at The Publican.  Oyster stout and oysters, mussels (actually just so-so in terms of quality), frites - best I've had in years, ham sampler - wow, pig's ear salad - great twist on the classic caesar, ubertasty smoked country style ribs, and a succulent duck breast. with white bean puree hen of the wood mushrooms and macerated dates.  Great night, wonderful food.  Pig-penned it in one of the booths and sat near the CEO of CPS actin' straight bougie with his boys.

    Take me to swinetown I said, and they sure knew the way...

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/27/2011

    As George Takei would say, OH MY!

    What a fantastic spot for brunch.  Several hours later, I am still thinking about how good the food was.

    Thank god for OpenTable.  I made an 11:30 reservation and I am very thankful I did.  It was very busy, but not impossible to get a table if you didn't have a reservation.  We were seated 20 minutes early.  Awesome.  I was a little nervous at first because we sat at one of the communal tables, but the space was adequate for both my girlfriend and I.  We were promptly greeted by the waiter and who quickly got our drink order.  Just went with coffee this time, but need to come back and try the Bloody Mary.

    We ordered:
    Omelette with pork belly, cheese, and artichokes
    Country Ham Schnitzel with fried eggs
    Spicy Pork Rinds
    Maple Braised Bacon

    Everything was wonderful.  The schnitzel was fried perfectly.  Combined with the the eggs and the stone mustard-y sauce on the bottom, it was just awesome.  The Omelette was very rich tasting from the cheshire cheese.  the pork belly was crumbled on top of the omelette instead of being placed inside, but it was so crisp and only added to the flavor.  Maybe a little overpriced for being a glorified bacon and eggs dish, but you only live once.  The pork rinds were excellent.  I'll have to admit, I've never had pork rinds before, but thanks to the number of reviews here, I tried and loved them.  They could've used more spice to them.  They had a more cheese flavor to them instead of spicy.  The maple braised bacon was out of this world good.  Perfect balance between crispiness and fat; maple and bacon flavors.

    The decor and ambiance is really neat.  The tables for 4 in what look like stables almost was pretty neat.  I might not necessarily recommend the place for a first date spot as you might get stuck at the communal tables but overall there is a good vibe there.  I would've liked to have been seated where I could've seen the open kitchen a bit more.  From what I saw, it was well run, clean, and organized.  

    Overall, fantastic.  I really want to come back here for both brunch and dinner.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/25/2011

    Eaten here 4 times and it has always been good. On two occasions, it was outstanding.

    Servers are always friendly and have good recommendations, they do an excellent job with beer pairings. And, the beer pairings are one of the main reasons to go to Publican. The only place in the US that I have ever seen Bayerischer Bahnhof Gose, which is an incredible beer. One of the occasions I was there and they were out, the server recommended 1809 Berlinerweiss.

    Chicarrones are excellent. Love the oyster selections. Seasonal menu always has good choices.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/1/2011
    4 check-ins

    A group of 5 of us went to the Publican for our NYE dinner - we'd wanted to go last year but didn't and now I shall kick myself forever for not going sooner.  Fantastic!

    So the inside was not what I was expecting, even though I did look at pictures beforehand.  On the outside edges, there are more private tables and "boxes" (which is where I want to sit the next time we go here!) and then in the middle there is a huge communal table.  Nice for a fun and casual dinner though I think some of the couples there celebrating NYE may have found it to be slightly lacking in the romance department.  Overall, it's a very warm and inviting space with a nice soft lighting scheme - it does get a bit loud since it's just a large open room.

    Tonight, they had a special menu for the holiday - 4 course, starting with a "crudite" of veggies with truffles and a sauce that was pretty much butter and olive oil.  The veggies were fresh and crisp and flavorful, even without the sauce.  Second was a rye cappellini with creme fraiche, dill, smoke trout and roe on top.  Very rich and full of flavor - I had to have my husband finish it, it was almost too rich!  Third was the most evil crispy pork in all the land - literally I could only eat about 5 bites before it got to be too much.  Pork on the bone wrapped in crispiness - yum!  Last was a panna cotta with honey and some very lovely shortbread and some fresh grapefruit.  Some of the other folks in my party were a bit disappointed that the panna cotta may not have come out of the freezer soon enough as it was still a little frozen in the middle but personally, after all the heavy meat of the pork course, the slightly icy panna cotta was really refreshing.  As an additional option, one could also get a seafood supplement.  We did. It was huge and the items were extremely fresh, ranging from shrimp to lobster to various clams to a really flavorful scallop ceviche.  Overall great food choices.

    The wine and beer list is a bit overwhelming even if you think you know what you want.  Ask for help.  Apparently all the Publican servers are trained to help diners pick out the right beverages and out server was no exception.  I was happy to see that when we got a wine recommendation, it was not the most expensive bottle on the menu - it drives me nuts when places have that accidental sort of upsell.  

    As for service, it was pretty good.  As mentioned, our server was extremely knowledgeable and I liked that before we ordered, she asked if any of us had any allergies or food aversions.  Otherwise, even though it was extremely busy, I felt like we were well taken care of through out.

    Overall, two very enthusiastic thumbs up - somewhere we will be going again once we recover from the food coma!

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/30/2011

    The Publican is a restaurant i visit every time I'm in Chicago. I love the atmosphere. The food is outstanding and service impeccable.

    This visit the standout was the country ribs. They were juicy with a delicious charred crust.

    I can't recommend this place any higher.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/16/2010

    Oh Publican, how I love thee, let me count the ways.  From your warm and airy design to that amazing sink outside the restrooms to the fantastic beverage offerings to the gorgeous and flavorful plates.

    Opentable.com secured me a last minute reservation and my out of town foodie brother couldn't believe I thought it was necessary on a Tuesday.  Maybe not necessary but highly recommended because when we walked in at 8:15, the place was rocking with large groups a plenty and a few diners a deux.    The whole vibe just takes me back to some of my favorite European places, especially Brussels.  It reminds me of a place we popped into while waiting for a train where we grabbed some beers, frites and mussels.  Long communal tables made of repurposed barnwood, sturdy ladderback chairs and lots of globe lights just like the one in my kitchen.

    Our server, Antonio was spot on and staged the perfect meal.  No attitude, just a very concise knowledge of the menu and the nuances of the food.  Enjoyed the serrano ham, loved the crusty bread, oysters and the star of the show:  pork belly.  The best pork belly EVER!  Melt in your mouth bursting with flavor, delish.  We followed up with a chocolate mousse confection that was decadent and enjoyed a reasonably priced, even by industry standards, bottle of Skullshead.  

    But seriously, that sink outside the restrooms is fit for baptismal font.  Gorgeous.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/28/2012

    This place was pretty yummy; had a good amt of food and it was decently priced.  Had the pork shoulder - SOO good; the ribs .. OMG EVEN BETTER.. it was fatty but it was sooo delicious.. cooked to perfection.  Im a fan of broccoli rabe and this was cooked very nicely as well!!  the rabbit papperdelle was one of my favorite dish.. i loved the pasta and the rabbit had a pretty good texture as well =) all in all .. yummy!!!

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/26/2010

    Woo pig sooie! What a feast. Publican has it all covered.

    I can't believe it has taken me this long to get to this West Loop gem. This place kind of reminds me of a cross between comfort food and a beer hall. There are a bunch of long wooden tables for communal dining and some two tops surrounding them. There are also a few pig pen type tables with barn doors that looked cute. Huge pictures of large swines are all around, just in case you didn't notice what they specialize in here.

    If you are a less adventurous diner or on a diet, this may not be the place for you. Located right in the heart of the meat packing district, you can get practically anything you'd like here. It seems like they serve it all, from the rooter to the tooter. Heart, sweetbreads, rabbit, pork rinds, charcuterie and foie gras are all here for you. Plenty of options for fish or veggies, if you don't feel like satisfying your inner carnivore. Pony up and let's strap on the feedbag, shall we? This menu is perfect for sharing, so you may want to go with a group. It was a bit tough for us to navigate our way through the menu as it is more tapas style and nothing seemed clearly appetizer or entree. We started with the beet salad and burrata. This was an excellent start. The yellow beets were really tasty and nicely paired with the creamy burrata. We also had the pretzel with Bavarian mustard that reminded me of those enormous ones that we wolfed down over many beers at the Hofbrauhaus. My wife had the sea bass as her main. I had the half hog they call the "Ham chop in hay". When this platter of swine hit the table, I felt like calling over other diners for back up. This gigantic portion must have had about a dozen chops and ribs. It wasn't until I had worked my way through a few of them that I made it to the flavorful grits and ramps underneath. This dish was a winner and I'm pleased to report that I put away most of it. I wanted to save room for dessert and I'm glad that I did. Double chocolate cake with bourbon county stout caramel, bananas and coffee ice cream. That satisfied a chocolate fix very nicely and the french press coffee was great too. I did say it reminded me of a beer hall didn't I? Hearty Belguims and Germans are on tap and if you can't find something to your liking there are a few dozen bottled global options. I really liked the Weissbier they had on tap and we had a couple of rounds of it.

    Sadly, the service was a bit off. We were there early because we had a show to catch later in the evening. Although I discussed our situation with our server, he just couldn't keep us on schedule and we waited a good hour between courses. Dinner menus had not been printed when we were seated. Wrong dishes and drinks were constantly arriving at our table. Food arrived before we even had our first round.

    Overall I really did like Publican. Paul Kahan's trifecta of culinary excellence has reinforced my rather biased belief that my West Loop home is the city's best restaurant area. I'm looking forward to returning for brunch or maybe just a few rounds. Serve up some great cuts and pair it with a few tasty pints and I'll squeal like a pig for you.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/28/2011

    Great environment for groups or a date.

    The service was attentive and knowledgable.  I ordered a cab that the server recommended.  I wasn't a fan, and he switched it out for a different wine.  

    Peaches and burrata:  delightful.
    Charcuterie plate:  had a wonderful variety.
    Steak tartar:  ground with an over medium egg on top.  Melts in your mouth.
    Salad with crispy pig ears:  Wonderful combination.
    Blueberry fool dessert:  Devine.  the bacon pieces in the cream were a nice surprise.  
    Digetif and limoncello were also delicious.

    Overall, fantastic restaurant.  Highly recommended.

  • 2.0 star rating
    7/15/2011

    In short, I was not impressed.  I heard great things so perhaps I was expecting too much, and the Publican didn't live up to those expectations.

    The beer list was extensive, so that was a plus.  I liked the general atmosphere, but not in love with the communal dining.  If you're with a party of four I suggest you reserve one of the booths, which looked really nice and private.  

    So first knocked star - they were out of the spicy pork rinds, the ones that I heard great things about and was so looking forward to trying.  So I got a few oysters instead and they were fresh and delish and perfect, and my husband loved the mussels that he started off with.  After that, it was odd...the suckling pig dish was surprisingly dry, and totally plain and boring.  I don't mind plain if it's done well, but it wasn't.  We left half the dish on the plate.  The country style ribs however had the perfect amount of char and flavor and marinade - very tasty.  The beet side dish was ok, nothing to write home about though.  

    We decided to order dessert, nothing jumped out at us, but the cherry couflis with milk chocolate sounded decent.  It wasn't.  The cherries had absolutely no flavor - they tasted like they were from a jar, but I know (at least I think) they weren't, so it was so odd.  The whole dish was just so blah.  Very disappointing.  So, lesson learned - skip the dessert.

    And service was lacking - took forever for our waiter to come and check on us and take our orders - I felt like we were constantly waiting for him to come by for various things - clear our dirty plate as we had no room on the table, order our entrees, order another beer, etc...

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/10/2011

    This place is pretty good but kind of pricey and too loud. I also prefer the food at Longman & Eagle. I came here for brunch one time and it was pretty tasty..but again..too loud. If you come for brunch, be sure to get a side of the super thick cut bacon!

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/21/2012
    1 check-in

    Very friendly staff, they love explaining everything to you, excellent oysters, mussels, beets.

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/22/2011

    I've been twice.  The first time was a disaster and the second visit was really good, so I'm going to give it 3 stars.  

    I'm not a big fan of the interior.  It's kind of drab for my taste with dull lighting and the "stalls"/booths they have you in are kind of claustrophobic.  Do they really have to close us in there?  I guess I know what the animals they serve feel like.

    The first time I went was a 9:00 reservation on a Thursday and they were out of half the things we ordered.  Totally annoying.  We were forced to order second tier things that we wouldn't normally order, had everything been available.  They only had a few oysters left and one or two of the meats were gone. After the first visit I was going to call this place The Republican't because they couldn't provide anything they had on the menu.  The service the first time was awful as well.  Impossible to get a beer (plus they were out of some of the beers we ordered)...and 747 jet level loud.

    A friend of mine invited me to go again last night, though and I considered bailing, but couldn't....and it turned out to be a pleasant surprise.  The service in the bar area was great.  It wasn't as unbelievably loud as before.  They had the beers I wanted and the waiter really knew his stuff in the bar.  I'll add that the beer list really is amazing.  When we moved to our stall our server was great as well.  Very nice and knowledgeable....and they had all the food we ordered!  The taste of three hams was fantastic.  The pork belly was really delish.  The country ribs were a little fatty for my taste, but the flavor was very good.  I also have to mention the collard greens.  I've never liked them....but one of the guys I was with ordered them and they were delicious.

    I'll go back....and not so reluctantly this time.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/22/2011

    This place was unbelievable.  Off the chain.  We ate pretty much everything the menu offered.

    We started with a chef's selection of Oysters.  These were fresh and briney and served with some kind of horseradish liquid.  That was it for seafood, since our group tended more towards the meats.

    We had the spicy pork rinds, and these were so much better than they sound.  It really tasted like fried pork, not like a pork rind from the gas station.

    Since we loved nearly everything we ate, I will just list the things we had and you should just assume that each one came with its own little collective moan from the table.  

    The only thing I didnt love was the steak tartar.  Too much curry, and I love curry.

    -Charcuterie Plate (head cheese...yum)
    -Veal Brains - good, but the texture wasnt as I expected, more like ricotta
    -Boudin Blanc
    -Sweetbreads
    -Pork Belly - this was amazing
    -Farm Chicken - for the picky folks, but was amazingly delicious and I would almost never order chicken at a restaurant.
    -Beets - so earthy and perfect
    -little gem salad - like a ceasar salad but with pig ears.  Who knew that I would become obsessed with pig ears.

    This place was seriously awesome.  If you are meat and offal lover...go.  

    Oh and dessert, the bread pudding was ridonk.

    ETA: OMG I almost forgot their beer.  This place is serious about beer.  The people I was with were also serious about wine, so they uncorked 3 of my own bottles for me.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/28/2011

    As a closet vegetarian, I'm so not a pork rinds kind of girl but lord! after watching the reactions of my colleagues to the puffed and powdered hot crisps peeking out of their papered cone, I had to just try one. Amazing. Like eating spicy, salty air... extremely high-calorie, spicy, salty air.

    After being closed into our booth, we were fed and watered often. Two bottles of pinot and tastes of everything: a flaky, buttery dover sole; a tender roasted chicken that must have come from an enormous bird; and a plate of pickles so more-ish I could've dined on those and a beer alone.

    The commitment to local farmers is also a big plus in my book. Even though the hipper than thou will roll their eyes and tell you that's so over, it's actually so important and really exciting, as a diner, to see the specific farm mentioned one each menu item, just like a wine would be attributed on its list.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/4/2012
    2 check-ins

    By now, it's basically a broken record to repeat what everyone has said about their food...it's fantastic and absolutely tasty. But what really draws me to this place is the drinks, especially the beer. Combined with the atmosphere, it's terrific place to unwind with good company after a long day.

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/21/2011

    Went only for a drink so this is not a review of the food.

    Recent Monday night...visiting Chicago, having just eaten at The Girl and the Goat, we stopped here since Maude's was closed. There were six of us standing at a tall round top for a couple of hours...the hostess would not seat us at the bar, even though it was empty. We were confused, but we went with it.

    I ordered a Moscow Mule in honor of Oprah Winfrey but it was too ginger-y and I sent it back. The bartender was cool about it and made it perfect the 2nd time. It appears they seat people in penned in barns (booths with low doors). I was intrigued and would try this place next time I'm in town.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/18/2012

    I went there for a Sunday brunch with no idea what I was getting myself into.  Great food (try the red wine poached eggs!) and FANTASTIC service!  Barry was our waiter, and he took care of us as if we were his best friends.  He made recommendations, offered to serve us a plate at a time so we could easily share, was quick to return and check on  us . . . I am all about great food and I am willing to pay a little extra when amazing service is also on the menu.  I'd recommend this place to anyone (but I would suggest a reservation if it's a weekend brunch).

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/22/2012
    1 check-in

    So, for my 100th review, I get to review the place I just went to for my 10th wedding anniversary.
    Made our reservation (through Open Table) and noted the occasion, as well as some dietary needs.  We were greeted with a complimentary sparkling cider (gluten-free). The occasion wasn't noted for the freebie, but its always appreciated.  
    This is our kind of place.  Wall art was of swine.  They seemed to know where just about everything on their menu was sourced from, mostly local small farms.  Seasonal produce.  Unique dishes.  Staff was very knowledgeable about the menu (the one item that came out that we found out had flour in it was quickly noted to be removed from the bill, and the waiter very quickly triple checked everything else we ordered).  The menu is a little lacking for descriptions, so we asked a lot of questions, which didn't seem to bother them at all.  A little more description on the menu would go a long way, but I guess that would take away from the minimalist reading they are going for.
    Started with the halibut crudo.  Nice fresh and fatty raw fish.  Very refreshing.
    Followed with the Scallops.  Not really wow, but very tasty.  The melted leeks were really good.
    Our choice of vegetable was the baby artichokes.  This came with a spring pea sformato, which was basically a savory mousse (which had flour in it).  I was able to eat the sformato, which was very tasty.  The artichokes were very good also.
    The larger courses we had started with the rabbit balantine.  We didn't really know what a balantine was, and with no description on the menu, we had to ask, but was still a little unsure what to expect.  I believe the description was 'rabbit saddle wrapped around mortadella, and cooked through with a crispy skin'.  It pretty much was a mortadella sausage with a flavorful, crispy skin.  Good flavor, but the mortadella was the primary taste, not the rabbit.  
    Second large dish was the suckling pig.  The first bite was soooo good, I had to put the fork down and lean back in my chair.  Slow cooked, almost all dark meat tender pork.  Crispy outside.  Dripping in pork fat.  We had the parmesan fondue on the side (gluten), which was the way to have it (really, the fondue wasn't needed at all).  I think it would have taken away from the awesomeness of the suckling pig if it was on top.  A definite must have dish in my opinion.
    If/when we are able to get back to Publican, we will probably be more adventurous, as we usually try to be. I know their menu changes regularly, but I wish we'd have tried something like the fresh sardines, or the duck hearts.
    We saw many tables order the spicy pork rinds, which looked, and sounded great.  Table next to us ordered & split the farm chicken, which also looked great.
    Highly recommended.  We could have chosen a hoity-toity restaurant, and maybe had fun eating a 'foam' something, or a 'deconstructed' something, but I'm very glad we came to Publican for our anniversary.  A little out of our way, and a little pricy, so will probably have to be relegated to special occasions.

  • 3.0 star rating
    12/18/2010

    On a Thursday night, this place was hoppin. Definitely make a reservation! Here are the things I learned:
    - Very close quarters makes for a very loud atmosphere
    - Trappists make good (no make that great) beer
    - Even if you're not a huge carrort fan, order the carrorts and you won't regret it.
    - Pork rinds...I might have finally found a food that I really like, but that's a bit much for me.
    - If the waiter says you need 1 more dish...you don't. I promise.
    - I definitely want to go back to The Publican.

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/16/2011

    Friends of ours were in town visiting and wanted to check out Publican for dinner.  After securing reservations we were excited to eat!

    We arrived a bit early so the hostess directed us to the bar area where we had some pre-dinner cocktails while waiting.  The decor is casual with these great 70's style lights hanging from the ceiling which created a romantic glow, fun pig pictures on the wall and all this warm wood tones.  It had a really comfortable feeling to it.  

    After being escorted to our own personal "pig pen" we were promptly greated by our waiter who reviewed the menu and suggested some items to share.  The menu is unique, full of pork items and a great combination of local items.  We started with the ham sampler, mussels and beet salad to share.  All were very yummy.  I had the grilled salmon that was topped with morel mushrooms and a on top of a pea puree for my meal. My husband had their "ribs".  But I wouldn't expect to receive the traditional ribs you might get at other restaurants.  The ribs here were more like a steak. One of the pieces was quite fatty but my husband said had a nice flavor.  We paired that with an order of grits. Overall, our service was attentive, knowledgeable and friendly.  We had a lot of fun with our friends and would recommend to friends/family visiting the area.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/17/2012

    Some of the best oysters I have ever had! Great selection of beer and wine. I have also had brunch here- I got the red wine poached eggs benedict- and it was delicious. The couple sitting next to us ordered a side of bacon, and it was a thick mouth watering slab. I am definitely getting that next time I go. It has a very cozy atmosphere and the tables are community style, so you will most likely be sitting next to someone you do not know. I can not wait to go back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/15/2011

    Not for the faint of heart or those who are vegetarians. This is a restaurant the focuses on one thing, PORK!

    Everything from pork belly, to spare ribs, to veal brains are on the menu here and all of it is wonderful in it's own right. All of the food is served in a sort of Tapas style dish. Perfect for small groups of four or so, but not the best for a large crowd. I see this as an excellent place for friends or double dates to head for food. Atmosphere is casual, but you are probably looking at about $50-$60 a person including drinks.

    Speaking of drinks the Publican feature an excellent beer menu with what seemed like over a hundred beers to choose from.

    Decor is simple, almost 1950's art deco and the communal tables add to the overall butcher shop atmosphere. Outdoor seating is available and your liking of the met packing factory across the street will either turn you off or elate you as it adds to the atmosphere.

    Overall I think this is a perfect place to head with friends and fellow meat lovers. One of my favorite restaurants now in Chicago.

  • 2.0 star rating
    7/16/2012
    1 check-in

    I don't know why this place has such high ratings. It was soooo overrated..

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/27/2010

    AWESOME BRUNCH!!! AWESOME AREA! The "meat packing" district of Chicago is mimicking the meat packing of NYC.  New trendy restaurants, unique apartment buildings, and cobble stone streets.  What a great experience.  The Publican had incredible Sunday morning brunch.  A girlfriend and I decided to indulge ourselves with some coffee, bloody mary's (they come with green line beers) and an appetizer of banana/walnut bread with ricotta cheese. WOW- I couldn't have asked for a better starting to my morning.

    I had the omelet with brocolli, peppers, asparagus, and gouda cheese.  It was excellent.  My friend had the Scrapple- and the entire plate was cleaned! We also ordered a side of hash browns which were to die for.

    All in all- what a great Sunday morning brunch, in a great little area...we did wonder over to the Market to find some great finds.

    MMM

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/2/2011

    We had a late night reservation elsewhere, but decided to come for drinks and snacks.  We were not disappointed.  Our only regret is that we did not skip the dinner res we had and just stayed here instead.
    Oysters were fantastic, delicious beer and the pig rinds!  We are still rhapsodizing about the pig rinds!
    Service was excellent, the space is simply beautiful, and we found the standing bar tables to be very comfortable, functional and spacious.
    We really loved this place, and next time we come back to Chicago, we will certainly come here for dinner.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/8/2013
    2 check-ins

    I came with a lust for pork products, I left with a love for perfect roast chicken. attentive knowledgeable staff "just close your eyes and put down your finger and you will be happy" was the easy description, but our waiter really helped making the A or B decisions on food and drink. Spicy pork rinds for a starter, I have live in south texas for almost 20 years and have had my share of fried pork skins aka Chicharrón. These are large 3 bite portions with lick your fingers kind of seasoning that set the standard for fried pig skin. Then the mains Seafood, Meat, or Veggies....too many choices. Seafood soup with coconut milk was amazing complexity as good as any curries (thai, japanese, or indian) I have tasted., veggies were heirloom tomatoes nice as a palate cleanser, pickles included some very complex red onions and bread and butter pickles. Meats: pork belly, porchetta,  and charcuterie plates were excellent. I wish I could hit the market across the street weekly for this stuff! Then the chicken, perfectly roasted, perfectly seasoned, and served on the crunchiest fries which with the chicken juices just went to another dimension.  I always expect soft potatoes with chicken, mashed, roasted, or braised. but this was something special. World class cuisine in a 1st class food city!

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/6/2012

    I was really surprised to learn that The Publican has been around for four years. It's been on my list for a couple and I am bummed that I did not venture here until last night. Service was stellar - we had a waiter who had been working there since, I think, 2009, and he was very personable and very attentive (even bringing additional yummy shots of beer which complemented our food). The food was really good - enough veggie and fish selections for those of us not so into the meat. And the dessert (bread pudding) was yummy. The decor is kind of minimalist rustic. Overall, this is a terrific place and I highly recommend. Also, good for business dinners---they do have booths in addition to the communal tables. I was certainly relieved to see THOSE - not so into the communal thing especially when it's a business dinner. Or really ever.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/26/2010

    Food:  5
    Service:  4
    Atmosphere:  4
    Value:  3

    I took a break from my usual low brow eateries to try out something a little more refined.  This was a celebratory dinner graciously being paid for by my sister so when she asked where I wanted to go, I thought we should check out this much raved about spot in the West Loop.  We had reservations at 7 on a Tuesday night and the place was packed by about 8.

    A brief note about the cuisine:  Like many kosher/vegetarian/vegan types, I was intimidated at first by the sheer amount of pork and shellfish on the menu, not to mention the giant pigs on the wall.  However, I was calmed by the friendly, pub-style atmosphere and the large, diverse beer list.  My sister and I both keep kosher, so we ordered just about everything in the menu we were able to eat, which was the Spinach Salad, Smoked Arctic Char, Fried Perch, Rainbow Trout (sans bacon), and Kabocha Squash.  Warning to pure vegetarians/vegans:  This place is not for you.

    The Smoked Arctic Char came out first and although I am sometimes afraid of smoked fish being too dry and smoky, this was not the case.  It was warm, moist, tender, and had only a subtle smoky flavor.  It was perfectly paired with a piece of baked ricotta and thinly sliced pears and red onions.  The balance in the dish was incredible-the fish had great flavor but was not overly fishy, the ricotta had a firm texture with a mild bite to it, and the acidity of the pair/onion mixture cut nicely through the entire dish.  Any restaurant that can seamlessly combine cheese and fish is a winner in my book.  

    The Spinach Salad came next and while not as memorable as the Char, it was still quite tasty.  The spinach had a rougher texture, almost like bibb lettuce, which stood up better to the dressing and accoutrements better than your typical spinach leaves.  The farmers cheese had a softer texture but more flavor than the ricotta, and the walnuts were toasted to perfection and uniquely spiced.  All in all, a nice "break-up" course.

    The fried perch was definitely the best fried fish I've ever eaten.  It was crispy, yet not overly filling.  The homemade tartar sauce, added a bright, smooth, lemony flavor.  No detail was overlooked, all the way down to the chopped pickles.  I was a bit puzzled by the shaved parmesan, but somehow the cheese and fish mixture worked again.  The sweet potato rounds that came with it were equally crispy and their deep, earthy flavor mellowed out the sharpness of the parmesan.

    Just when I thought things couldn't get any better, the Trout arrived.  It was served whole, but de-boned.  Free tip:  If your server asks if you want him to filet it for you, respectfully decline, as you would miss out on the delicious crispy fish skin.  The fish itself was tender, moist, flavorful, and rich.  The artichokes that it came with were cooked and seasoned perfectly and I can only imagine how much more amazing the dish is with bacon in it.  The sauce that accompanied it was somewhat of a stock and tied the entire plate together.  

    The squash arrived last and frankly, I was not that impressed with it.  The dish was billed as squash with cremini mushrooms and cipolini onions, but the mushrooms far overpowered everything.  Don't get me wrong, the mushrooms were delicious, but when I order squash, I expect lots of squash-that wasn't the case.  Granted, I bet if we received this dish first instead of last we would have raved about it.  At that point, the bar was set so high they could have served us beluga caviar and I probably would have thought it was just "ok."

    Overall, this is a great place to go if you want creative, upscale cuisine without the pretentious, upscale attitude.  It's great for a celebration and definitely worth the price-especially if you're not paying.

    [Thanks for reading my review and be sure to check out my other reviews on Yelp.  My mission is to find restaurants that have great vegetarian, kosher, and vegan fare.  On every review, I rate food, service, atmosphere, and value on a 1-5 scale to give you quick and easy overview of the restaurant.  I love cooking, eating, and doing both with my friends and family.  I always welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions so contact me on Yelp or Facebook if you want to share ideas.]

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/8/2012

    Loved the place! As a fan of belgian beers and complex flavors, the Publican seem to hit just the spot. Went on a Sunday night and was seated very promptly. Dishes were the arctic char, octopus, and yellowtail along with the spicy pork rinds served in family style fashion. Great jovial atmosphere. Service was a little on the slow side but understandably so.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/8/2011
    1 check-in

    It was time to celebrate my cousin's birthday, so we took her out to the Publican. It was my first time here but I have heard so much hype, so I was really excited!

    Two of my favorite things in the world are seafood and pork... the Publican will deliver on that for you!

    The inside is unlike many restaurants I've been in. They have communal tables and then private booths that are more like pig pens? haha
    The waiting area/bar is a neat idea but not ideal if you're waiting for a long time IMO. The bathroom area is also really weird. Just one giant room - separate stalls but one giant fountain to wash up at... you can also see who does/doesn't wash their hands! (nasties) haha

    On to the food..

    Chef's selection of oysters.
    Very nice variety of delicious oysters served with mignonette. We were given a card with the names of the types of oysters but that wasn't much help.. I wish the waiter would've explained them.

    Hamachi Crudo.
    I love hamachi prepared like this almost anywhere.. publican does it nicely! nice flavor profile and the addition of pistachios was a pleasant surprise. The integrity of the fish was maintained which is really important.

    Sweetbreads.
    I also enjoy sweetbreads very much and they cooked it perfectly. The garnish was hit/miss among the table but I definitely enjoyed it.

    Steak Tartare.
    Really good! I grew up eating the Laotian equivalent of tartare so, I'm always on the prowl to try new preparations. This one featured some sort of herb that had a very earthy and warm taste. I would totally order it again.

    Livornese Seafood Stew.
    Basically cioppino/bouillabaisse minus the white fish. Everything was seasoned perfectly and the crostini and rouille were a nice touch.

    Charcuterie.
    Assorted cold cuts of pork. What more could you ask for?

    Suckling Pig Plate.
    Extremely flavorful and tender pork. Cooked to perfection. Probably the highlight of the evening aside from the oysters.

    They have a vast selection of craft beers and a great wine list to choose from as well. This place is SOLID.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

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  • Start your review of The Publican.

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  • 5.0 star rating
    10/7/2011

    I friggin' love The Publican.  I've been here for both brunch and dinner and was thoroughly impressed both times.  Their food is always fresh and I love how they buy their ingredients from local farmers.  Now to the food:

    Brunch (only on Sunday):
    1. Red wine poached egg - Great flavors and beautiful dish.  The egg was cooked perfectly.  Highly recommend.
    2. Banana bread - very dense but very good.
    3.  Fulton Market Quad - Excellent
    4.  A salmon dish, can't remember the name - Delicious and fresh.
    5. Great tea selection!!!!!!!!!!! But also GREAT coffee.

    Dinner (Come with a group of people since the food can be easily shared):
    1.  Oysters - One of the best oysters I've tried in Chicago. They were so good, our group ordered two platters.
    2. Spicy pork rinds - ORDER IT.  Freshly made and the spices they use are amazing.
    3.  Blood sausage - I'm not a big fan of blood sausage but I heard a lot of people like them.
    4.  Pork Belly - Delish
    5. Frites - Fries with a fried egg on top. Fried eggs make anything taste better.
    6.  Some salad - can't remember the name  but I remember it being very tasty.
    I can't remember what else we ordered (their menu changes often according to which ingredients are in season), but I remember that every dish we ordered was phenomenal.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/6/2012

    Alright so I caught this place on WTTW's Check please and I have to say it caught my attention right from the start. I also liked that it was in the Fulton Market as that is one of my all time favorite locations in Chicago. Alright so heres the break down. My GF's bday in September and she really wanted to try this place out so this was perfect timing to take her. so we took our time to get there because we don't live to far from the expressway to get there. So we got there and took about 2 minutes to find parking on the street and not have to pay for it. we went it but took some time to get seated because it seems this place is always busy which I consider a good thing. as we stood up at one of the waiting tables one of our friends came up to us and worked at the publican. started us off with some finger foods and some beers. they really do know how to make sure you get the beer that you enjoy. we finally got to our table and i have to say the menu was a little intimidating because I'm not really a big seafood guy and most of the menu was nothing but.

    I went ahead and made the exception to go ahead and try some new things/ seafood for the special occasion for my girlfriends birthday. we started with some sauteed corn and raw Halibut that was seasoned which actually was quite good for someone that doesn't like seafood at all. then we got our entrees which were really good i got some chicken dish but was really good even though i can not remember the name of the dish and my girlfriend had a muscle/pasta dish which i went ahead and tried with her and not too bad. From what i have been told this place is really well know for their Oysters and being raw seafood figured i would not enjoy this but went ahead and tried them anyways.

    this place will not be for everyone but i would say you never know about a place until you try it. I loved the Atmosphere the design of everything made you feel you were in a castles mead hall but the kitchen looks more modern then anything. The beer selection was huge but hard to choose what you want to drink but the servers know what they are talking about and can assist you with choosing one that you will enjoy.

    ALL around good times and experience.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/19/2011

    Overall a great and very satisfying brunch.

    I loved the table setups - very industrial but practical with big mugs and giant brown sugar cubes waiting on the table for coffee.  The restaurant decor was nice, but tight with communal seating.  Thankfully, we had a table for two and were sat at an individual table.  Service was impeccable.

    Food:

    Ham Schnitzel - enough for two people and fried absolutely divinely with great flavor.

    Mussels - yummy, but not special.  the best part of the dish was the fresh baked loaf of bread that had just that perfect muchy texture.

    Bacon - they call it bacon, it was more of the a delicious slab of glazed fatty pork.  really good.

    the bloody marys ranked tops on one of the best i've ever had.  

    Great job Publican!

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/25/2010
    3 check-ins
    Listed in Top Restaurants

    Mrs. Publican: Welcome to Heaven, Chaz.
    Chaz: Thanks, table for one... puh-leasseeeee......

    The absolute perfect restaurant, everything on the menu was something i wanted, an each thing more than the last.

    i settled on the pork belly with chocolate, pickled onions and something else crazy.

    but to start out the frites with egg, (delicious)

    and the daily pickles (Oh My Geezus)

    and a Sprecher root beer (bonus points for rawness)

    and for dessert a strawberry granita (slushy) served with whipped cream, pistachios and dried strawberry chips. wowzer.

    all in all, i was filled to a comfortable level.
    i was impressed by the lake of pretension.
    i felt like i was in my own home.

    the cool part about the food here is that, unlike many restaurants which try to take comfort food and make it modernized and with sophisticated ingredients.
                  while this restaurant does the exact opposite as it takes sophisticated ingredients and makes them feel like the food you eat at a barbecue, without the pretentious snubby feel you get at so many other restaurants.

    i heart publican.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/31/2010

    Publican is a terrific, unique, and rather pricey evening out. I just can't bring myself to call it 5 stars. Some of the food adventures are inconsistent (like an apricot and ricotta side plate -- interesting concept, not executed well). The tables are too small. And it can be hard to get in. However, I was recently here on a Monday night and found Publican half full.

    The beer and cheese selections are all top notch. I will defer to others on the pork, since I don't eat it. I've spent between $25 and $75 a head here depending mostly on how much we were drinking.

    Publican is well worth a visit. Or four.

    UPDATE: Just had brunch at Publican for the first time. Brunch exhibits the same strong points and oddities as other meals I've had here. While all the food was very good, I couldn't understand why my quiche was a snack, at best, while the dishes ordered by my dining companions were all the right size for a meal. Pay attention to what you're ordering, ask questions, and make sure you are getting what you want.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/14/2012

    went for a late dinner, so we didnt have to deal with a wait.  service was good and helpful when we were trying to decide on what to order.

    we went for the spicy pork rinds, fish stew, pork belly and frites (with a fried egg, of course).  a lot of food for 2 gals, but we powered through it. pork rinds were light and not greasy.  fish was fresh and flavorful.  pork belly was extra tender.  frites...well, you cant ever go wrong with a fried egg!

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/8/2010

    As a New Yorker visiting Chicago I went to The Publican as a suggestion from a friend. I am so happy we went because I have a reason to now come and visit again.
    The hostess was very sweet and escorted us to a table by the bar to have a beer while our table was getting ready. The beer menu was great and very different.
    When we sat we had a great waiter who really knew his stuff. We went for the mussels and halibut appetizer. We had the beets as a side dish and the ribs!!!  OMG they were amazing. We finished things off with the waffle.
    I loved every dish and can't wait to come back. I also want to add that I loved the decor of the place.  I really think I found my new favorite restaurant.

  • 2.0 star rating
    7/30/2013

    I'm going to say it - meh. Publican is in everyone's top 5 restaurants of Chicago, and frankly, I just don't get it. I've since been told that you have to go for the "right seasonal menu" or only "when it's a good chef," but that's not good restaurant material to me. You can't only have the good chef on Saturdays, and the B-team on Wednesdays - that's not how it works. Every dish was decent to average, and their signature pork tenderloin with pork belly was just plain overcooked - the tenderloin was chewy and tough. And beyond that, it was over-seasoned to the point where you couldn't take a bite without having to take half back out. So, not a winner for me, and I'd rather be at Girl & the Goat or Takashi any night.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/20/2010

    Sunday brunch at the Publican is a must-do for the Chicago foodie.  This restaurant is situated on a hidden stretch of the Fulton Market area where warehouses abound.  It's the kind of area that Tarantino or Eastwood would love to shoot-in because of its authenticity and grittiness.  

    Those unfamiliar to The Publican will be pleasantly delighted by the decor (farm-inspired -- in fact the booths along the sides of the restaurant resemble stalls...the kind  that swing out and you're locked in like an animal.  Gigantic, belly bulging pigs are featured on their canvas artwork, while the unisex bathroom features a sink similar to a farmhouse trough/well.  

    People sit at the long L-shaped tables that are all connected - so it is perfect if you like mingling with other diners or want to see what other people are trying.  Not for those who like their own privacy or lots of elbow room.

    Their pork sandwich is AMAZING - the fried egg, salty piece of ham, italian bread, and pickled onions work together as a beautiful melody of savory godliness.  Finished off with hand-cut seasoned fries and a sip of mimosa, you're starting off your Sunday well.  

    The atmosphere is bustling and noisy and the kitchen is open so you can see the frentic line of short-order cooks and sous chefs preparing food.  The restaurant also has bar tables that people congregate around to drink.  It's a unique restaurant concept that works.  

    Definitely come here if you're open to going off the beaten path.  Locals and foodies know it well and it's a place that even the most discerning palette will find pleasing.  When the weather is nice, you can sit outside - and because it's in a quieter industrial area, you won't be bothered with lots of traffic.  

    Go here for the food, the unique atmosphere, and the attentive service.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/1/2012

    Crazy good. This is what good food and a great dining experience is about! I'm a foodie who comes to Chicago on business regularly, I go out with a big group of foodies I work with to good restaurants all over the city. We LOVED this place.

    The hosts, waiters, barstaff and manager who stopped by were all delightful and very knowledgeable about the menu. Everything was delicious, we ordered a lot of things we'd never had before and it was all amazing. High quality, high standards and great atmosphere. Big wooden tables where you share your area with other parties similar to the seating at the Girl and the Goat.

    Wonderful wine selection and great cocktails. :) A place we'll go back to!

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/4/2011

    Well, hello Publican! I stepped in to find myself in a restaurant lined with large wooden tables for communal eating, small tables for parties of 2, standing tables in the "bar area" and then special 4-top tables that felt like stables.  Each table had their own set of doors.  The minute I laid eyes on the special 4-top "stable tables", I hoped that we'd be seated there.  LOW AND BEHOLD... the hostess walked us over and seated us.  I was as happy as a kid in a candy store...  but I was more like a 26-year-old in a fancy schmancy butcher shop.  

    What did we order? (* denote favorites)

    -lotsa fancy, crazy brewskis
    -spicy pork rinds*
    -charcuterie plate - pork pie*, pancetta terrine, head cheese, black pepper salami*, morteau sausage*, pickles
    -neck bone gravy* -- just do it. It is simply a spaghetti in neck bone gravy.
    -brussel sprouts* -- inclusive was a delicious farmer's cheese similar to fresh mozz
    -scallops* - perfectly cooked: crisp on the outside, and melt your mouth tasty soft on the inside
    -bone marrow - DEAR LORD, so delicious.. it was like a fine butter on bread. Don't be intimidated by the name.

    Wow. I am one hell of a carnivore.  I hope to be back soon with the bf in tow.  He'll love it... and also try out a Sunday brunch as well.  Bravo, Publican.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/25/2011

    Hows your mind?  Blown?

    This place was delicious.  Incredible food paired with great beers.   Loud, but, deal.  

    Also, the service was fantastic.  At one point I practically whispered something to the person next to me, a server heard and was immediately helping with it.

  • 3.0 star rating
    12/14/2010

    It was a mixed bag, really.  First, this review is for brunch, not dinner.  Might try again for dinner to broaden the PIG offerings.
    First, service was unusual.  At the beginning, they were all over us, later... we had plates piled on top of each other wondering if someone was coming by.  I ended up tipping a mere 15% as it didn't deserve better... maybe not even deserving of the 15%, but it's the Holiday season.
    Fried french toast... nasty.  Tasted burned, no real sweetness, no gooeyness.  Just gross, dry bread from the deep fryer.
    Sausage with French Toast... great.  Meaty and a little sweet with a maple finish to the taste.
    Pork rinds... Great.  Crackling hot and spicy.
    Hash browns... evil twin of the French Toast.  Nothing special and tasted very greasy, it not overdone.
    Ham and Eggs with Grits... best part of the meals.  Strangely had pickles diced and tossed on eggs and that was weird.  Grits were good, but underportioned.

    So there you go.  Skip the brunch and go for dinner.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/21/2013

    If you don't like this place then I don't like you. I would eat the shit out of anything on the menu - twice.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/27/2011

    Glad I finally got to experience The Publican. Went with my mom and her work friend. The fried clams are so great and so is the apple salad. We shared the spring chicken with sausage and fries. Everything was so fresh and tasty. The coffee was great and our apple dessert was glorious.

    Need to go back and try some liquor.

    P.S. three of us sat right down on a Thursday at around 7:30. And our server was so accommodating. And I loved the decor.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/24/2013

    If I could write two reviews, one would get five stars and the other three, so I went for the average.  I arrived early and was taken to one of their "standing tables."  The hostess didn't really let me know what to expect so I didn't know if I was getting a server or if I should order at the bar.  The server eventually showed up, but I was still a little daunted by the menu...I tend to order beer by name, not by method of brewing nor recipe so I was asking questions and I could just tell he really wanted to get me my beer.  I ordered something I ended up hating...and then my husband arrived and the tides turned.
    We got a table outside, and our server was David.  If you can request his area, I recommend it.  Sincerely.  I told him I didn't like what I was drinking, said I normally drink Miller, Sol, Landshark, and my personal favorite is Tennent's but no one carries it.  He brought me something right away and it was delicious.  He brought my husband a beer that he thoroughly enjoyed.
    He helped us choose our plates, and the chicken liver pate was one of the best I'd ever eaten.  It was like liver flavored buttercream.  The gastrique (which I think may have been balsamic vinegar based) enhanced the flavor and the raspberries only made it better.
    The tuna belly was amazing.  A perfect entremezzo.  The taste of ham was good, but serrano ham is much more common than it used to be, so I don't miss it as much.  Still not Spain quality, but nothing is.  The porchetta was unique, but wonderful.  I have never had anything like it and highly recommend it.  He also brought us samplers of beers that we might like that would pair well with our meal and was he ever correct.  I think he made our experience and hope next time we return we can get in his section because even with the other tables, he made sure they ordered food and drinks that they would like - he managed to get a feel for his customers and made it seem easy.  I hope they recognize that when their staff is this helpful, it can only enhance the customer experience.  Highly recommended.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/6/2010

    When my Ben-O first suggested a pork-eaters only dinner to me, further hinting that I am naturally not included while I am a fussy "no-pork-on-the-fork" kind of gal, I didn't feel oh so left out. His brother and brother's girlfriend were in town from Grand Rapids, particularly to explore the mind of master chef Paul Kahan; being that he is in lieu to be a recognized as a remarkably talented chef himself, I became a lil curious as to what it was that made him ooo and awe. But when Ben-O reposed, "would you?"...after those thought gears were going, I daringly answered "...sure? why not? (will I regret this?)". I will eat PORK this once without discrimination, I will eat whatever animal is put on my plate but I will also expect it to be great.

    And Publican didn't fail. They accepted adding on another seat to the reservation last minute with no problems, "sure thing, we will gladly expand our bill by another $100 consumer".

    The minute I walked in the place, I loved it. It's decor hit a heart-string. The oversized pictures of plump hogs peering over us - I like to be reminded of what I'm eating (only being partly sarcastic) ahem or appreciating. Warm large bulbed country-feel lighting suspended and arrayed every 2 feet from each other made an impact without being overpowerful. The uber-long L-shaped bench like tables surrounding the center and the wooden pen booths around the edges of the restaurant all tied to the feeling of a classy country-like experience; I couldn't help but imagine a green field outside the city building with the pig-pens an acre or so away from my plate.

    The menu was 5-coursed and fixed on this day, being that it was the beginning of the "craft brewers conference" and "world beer cup" which is hosted in Chicago this year I later learned. Each dinner was carefully crafted and suited with an optional flight of beers per course. We did the whole shabang - beers with another round of 4 selected beers to share on the limbos of each course. And bonus for me only the starter round was pork.

    And the menu goes (verbatim per their site): "1) Jamon Iberico with fried morels and pickled fiddlehead fern paired with Pairie Path ale; 2) guinea hen, foie gras galantine with ramps orange mustard greens and cashew paired with Ebel's wiess; 3) crawford farm corned lamb mix grill with spring, rye, panzanella paired with Langhaul session ale; 4) bbq salmon paired with collaboration beer; 5) brown butter, orange, honey, coffee and almonds paired with Domaine duPage"

    I must admit, EVERY course was outstanding! Even the pork. My favorite was the salmon; I have just NEVER had salmon THAT GOOD. Then the guinea hen fois gras; wow. The beers were perfectly paired as well. Dessert was perfect! If ya have the chance and the financial liberty or dare, go catch this menu! Otherwise, rest assured that practically anything you will put in your mouth on their menu is probably amazing.

    And sigh, tis over and the $$$ must surface. It was as dangerous to the wallet as I anticipated. A solid $100 per person. And it wasn't that hard a sacrifice to swallow considering how spectacular the experience was. I am just eager to have that steady income to sacrifice! If I had a consistent paycheck, I'd splurge here again.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/20/2011
    2 check-ins

    A brunch that lives up to the hype!

    We arrived for Sunday brunch around 12:30 and there was a 30-minute wait -- we took a standing table in the bar and ordered a French Press. The service in the bar was not very good, our server ignored us twice, then didn't bring us any silverware to do cream/sugar.  We had to hunt him down for the check once our table was ready - pretty annoying, so we can see how the other yelp reviews about poor service would be true.

    We ended up being seated in the bar at the counter facing the kitchen and it was really cool to see the chefs and cooks in action.  They were out of the ricotta and pork neck bone gravy, the 2 things we wanted to order.  We settled into our bloody mary's to plot our next move.

    My boyfriend landed on the fried french toast, hands down the best french toast we've ever eaten!!! It has the consistency of a beignet, and the compote that comes with it is fantastic.  no need for syrup.  I ordered the schnitzel and it was also fantastic.  HUGE portion.  We split a side of BACON, the BEST BACON EVER. Huge slices, super thick, perfect balance of fat and meat - DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!

    The food speaks for itself and we cannot wait to go back for round 2, where we hope to get the items they ran out of.  Our service for brunch was really good and overall we had a fantastic time.  The setting is great and the energy was really positive.  We witnessed an owner interacting with the kitchen staff and it was very amiable.  The executive chef is nominated for best chef of 2010 by Food and Wine Magazine, just another nod to how great Publican is!

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/17/2011
    3 check-ins
    Listed in Suds

    Do yourself a huge favor and go eat here now. It is truly remarkable.

    My husband and I came hungry for brunch. Every aspect of the experience was perfect, from the huge pig canvases on the walls, to the expansive beer and wine list, to the awesome European butter, and of course the food.

    We ordered the cashew sticky buns and Publican bacon to share. My husband ordered the fried oyster omelette and I ordered the fried French toast. Our food came in ten minutes!

    As we took our first bites, we were speechless. Everything was perfect. The sticky buns were so soft, and the sauce was so tasty. The bacon was literally a hunk of pork belly, cured in-house, how bacon should be served! My french toast had this great caramelized crust and then a soft, buttery inside. The dish also came with maple breakfast sausage. I don't even like sausage and I could have had ten links! My husband's omelette was very tasty and unique and came with grilled sourdough toast.

    Our server was great and the decor is also really fun. We will definitely be back.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/22/2012

    5-Stars for the food.  3-Stars at best for the staff. 4-overall because the food is THAT good.  Being treated like I am a nuisance and then being asked to tip you is one of my biggest pet peeves.  That's how it felt at the Publican.  The staff was VERY knowledgeable, but they were not the most approachable. The food speaks for itself.  Everything was BEYOND delicious! I would suggest dining on a weeknight, as the staff doesn't seem to be able to handle the stress of a busier night.

    The disappointed with the staff started from the moment I walked in.  After being greeted, giving my name, I was told I would not be seated until my reservation time (with an emphasis on not).  Seemed a little harsh, but we were early and expected to wait a bit.  They made room for us at the standing bar while we waited; this was wonderful! They controlled the limited space for patrons who were going to be dine with them.  Before doing so, they  asked if we wanted a drink before being escorted to the standing bar, but told we should order from their instead.  

    Ten minutes later, we were greeted by staff--should have just ordered the beer from the front of the house.  Staff was knowledgeable about beer/wine, but you definitely got the feeling that you were being bothersome.  RECOMMENDATION:  look at the beer list a head of time.  They provide place of origin/titles of beer, no descriptions.  

    Getting to our table was fine, however we were seat 25 minutes past our reservation time. So much for being seated AT our reservation time as the hostess rudely explained upon arrival. The restaurant was quite loud making an intimate dinner difficult, but manageable (we were expecting this on a Friday).  

    Waitstaff was slow and not terribly attentive, but she knew her menu and gave great recommendations! She told us food is served family style/small plates and will just come out as they are available.  Spacing between our first 3 dishes starter, vegetable, 'entree') were great! Then we waited. And waited. And waited.  Someone who's not afraid to speak up, it just took a long time to get our waitress's attention. Seeing how she never checked on us after taking our order, this should not have come as a surprise.  We wanted our fourth and final dish.    

    Finally getting the waitress's attention, we discussed the situation, and she said she was spacing out the plates for us.  Translation: the kitchen made a mistake, or she did.  The chicken was still 5 minutes from making its way out! This meant that we would have had it served to us almost 30 mins after the third small plate! The moment that lie came out of her mouth, I was done. I just said cancel the chicken and bring us our check.  

    She apologized and with the utmost professionalism, took the chicken off (rightly so) and comped our drinks and well.  I felt this was a very fair way to correct the mistake; however the damage was done.  There just  seemed to be too much staff.  Everyone had just one job with no real oversight.  No quality control. It appeared she had no clue what and when food was being brought out.

    Maybe it was a hard night, but that's no excuse for poor service from every staff member we interacted with.  I probably would not dine at the Publican again on a weekend, but would likely try again on a weeknight.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/21/2012

    I thought this place was cute, service was great, beer was good, and food was also good.  I took away one star because I like veggies, and there were very limited options!  But otherwise, we will definitely be back.  Also, a nice place in the neighborhood. I work nearby, and it's a restaurant desert in the "fulton market' area.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/25/2011 Updated review

    I've had dinner at Publican a few times, but this weekend was my first foray into Publican brunch.  I really liked it!

    It is a rare occasion that I do not order an egg dish at brunch, but for some reason I just was not feeling the eggs that morning.  Instead, I opted for the steel cut oatmeal with dried apricots and maple sugar and a side of maple braised Publican bacon (which was more like pork belly).  We ordered a few orders of frites for the table, which came with garlic mayo for dipping.

    I was really pleased with my breakfast.  I love steel cut oatmeal, and this was perfect - it had a little bite to it and wasn't mushy or gummy as oatmeal tends to be.  The maple sugar provided just enough sweetness, and the generous amount of dried apricots added some tang.

    The pork belly was also pretty good.  It was a bit fatty (but isn't that really kind of the definition of pork belly), but the flavor was excellent.  It is a generous portion, so I would recommend sharing.

    The frites were yummy, as was my breakfast cocktail (The Orchard - whiskey, hard cider and some other stuff).  Service was friendly and quick, especially given the fact that I was with a large group.

    Publican has earned a place on my brunch faves list!

    4.0 star rating
    12/24/2009 Previous review
    We tried Publican again last night with some friends, and I liked it much more than I did the first… Read more
    3.0 star rating
    9/26/2009 Previous review
    The "goods" were excellent.  The "bads" were not good at all.

    Service - excellent.  Our waiter was…
    Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    12/3/2012

    I really enjoyed our dining experience here. Good drinks, the roast chicken was very good. They put it over fries and the fries absorb the herbed drippings from the chicken and it is very delicious. The oysters and ham plate were good as well. I enjoyed the atmosphere, and we were seated next to a pretty awesome couple that was really enjoying their meal of sweet breads. I'll go back for sure.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/24/2011

    Was dying to try Publican since before I even moved to Chicago and finally made it here for brunch. A-ma-zing! Went with three friends and we went tapas style and shared everything at the very keen insight of our waiter.

    Started with the bloody mary with the beer chaser and it was nice and refreshing especially after a few too many cocktails the evening before. Then the fun began...red wine poached egg with prosciutto was absolutely delicious, schnitzel with eggs was awesome, omelet with fried oysters was good as well but not as much of a stand out as the first two. Lastly we had the waffle with berries and honey butter everything that a waffle should be--soft and crunchy, sweet but not too sweet. Great ender to the meal. We also shared plates of the maple braised bacon that was more like pork belly which is a good thing and the frites with fried eggs which is as awesome as you can imagine.

    All in all it was a great brunch, one that i wouldn't do all the time but definitely for an occasion or when you're craving some a bit more decadent. A great experience, can't wait to go back for dinner!

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/28/2011

    In a sketchy area if you venture south. Dark and shadows lurking around. Then you turn the corner onto Fulton market and voila....wall to wall Gastro fans!

    Highlights were: the Lost Abbey's Red Poppy ale, spicy pork rinds (like huge cheetos), best grilled octopus outside of Barcelona

    Glad we did not get the half chicken. The portions are huge. The larger portions are at the bottom of each menu section. The steak tartar with raw organic egg was like how I remembered the dish from Paris.

    And the complementary bread was warm and homemade! BUT YOU HAVE TO SHOUT TO BE HEARD! Or sit on top of each other like the diners at the communal table. It was a fun atmosphere even though you couldnt hear the music or your spouse.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/9/2011

    The cow herding into pens....weird

    Food....pricey but good if you like offal-type dining

    Beer....selections are vast but also pricey

    Service.....knowledgeable staff on the menu and beer selections

    Seating......reminded me of Hofbrauhaus in Vegas with the dining hall seating but I'm still not sure why we sat between two couples when other seats were empty.  

    Bathroom - no sink inside.  just a fountain of faucets just outside the individual bathrooms.  A bit weird but sure make the people wash their hands afterwards.

    What really puts this restaurant at a 5 star caliber for me is that Paul Kahan (executive chef...watch Anthony Bourdain Chicago episode) is visibly working at the restaurant.  The guy's got a Michlin star to his name and is still working!  This is a true testament to his passion for cooking and his restaurants.  This type of attention from the talented chef is what keeps the quality so high at Publican and I'm always willing to pay a bit more for quality.  Mr. Kahan, I applaud you as I have seen first hand what happens to great restaurants when celebrity chefs become more celebrity than chef (see my Topolobampo review).

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/1/2012

    New Year's Day brunch.  Beer / fresh squeezed orange juice "mimosa's," seafood tower for two (inCREDible and well worth the money), frites with fried eggs and sausage.  I could not imagine a better way to begin the new year.  Seriously, it may all be a landslide after this meal (chilled lobster tail - WOW.)  Add the most adorable wait-staff and I could not have asked for a better experience (and I am referencing the the boys that could make a lesbian reconsider!)

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/13/2012

    The busboys had rude attitudes here--yes, we can understand your constant under-the-breath gripes and mutterings about  us and other people.  Hearing the chatter made for an uneasy  dinner here.  4 stars on food, decor and the waiting staff.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/12/2013

    This might be my favorite brunch spot - not just in Chicago, but in the world. Definitely get the bacon. The three times I've been, we've all talked about bringing home the bacon (i.e. stopping by Publican Meats on the way out to buy some) BUT by the time we've left we've been in too deep of a food coma to consider any more food. Plus I don't think anyone could replicate the masterpiece that comes out of the kitchen. Their menu changes (sadly for me the steak/truffle polenta dish rotated out - I asked for and got a side of that truffle polenta once at the end of stuffing ourselves and I still devoured it) but this past weekend they had a brisket on the menu that was scrumptious. Succotash hash and chorizo scramble were also delicious, but the bacon and brisket won the battle in my mouth hands down. SOOO good!

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/18/2010

    First off,  I would like to comment on the great space and the fact that they use C.O. Bigelow hand soap in their washrooms.  Call me corny but those small details do make a differnce to my dining experience:) enough about handsoap .....lets get to the food part.  I visited the publican for brunch with a friend and I was quite impressed by the service ( our server was rebecca) and the food.  

    Here's the rundown on what we had for brunch:

    Yummy #1:
    Red wine poached egg with la quercia prosciutto and sourdough bread.
    Yunny #2:
    pork cheek sandwich gruyere with roasted tomato remoulade.  

    I have to agree with most of the reviews that this restaurant gets an A+ for service and food !!!!!

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/13/2010

    I was a fan of Paul Kahan going in having been to Avec and if you're a total pork slut like I am then please do yourself a favor and make a reservation.
    Guys, if you don't get excited about spicy pork rinds please take your man card of your wallet and dispose of it post haste.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/13/2013

    This was our third stop in our tour of Blackbird restaurants and it did the "family" name well! We stopped in mid-afternoon on a Friday and we had the place to ourselves. First stop was the super cool bathroom with communal hand washing then on to the bar. CJ was our exceptional server assisted by Michael, their in house beer expert (VERY knowledgeable- don't be fooled that he doesn't look old enough to drink). Atmosphere is described as German beer hall....but I'd say, "inspired by" since it was obviously designer created and very urban cool. We sat at the bar which is a little awkwardly narrow for eating but we like to be close to the action especially at that midday dead restaurant hour. We enjoyed the pig ear salad, the oysters were outstanding and the charcuterie plate. All very delicious! Thanks to Michael and CJ, we tried some really interesting beers (the Dragon's Milk was awesome!) A very nice added experience was a chat with the manager, Edward, who remembered us from our visit to Avec a couple days before...nice touch! the Publican is in a very cool area of town, very much like the Meatpacking district in NYC before it got so much swagger. Tonight we will be trying Blackbird, the family namesake. We are looking forward to it after our string of great service and delicious food from this restaurant family!

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/28/2011

    Believe the hype.
    This place is great.  The embodiment of craftsmanship in food.  We started with the ham plate: Publican's demonstration of how Iowa and Wisconsin ham beat Spanish Serrano every which way.  We then had the shrimp: served head-on and probably the lowlight of the dinner...  Then the smelt (walleye was out that evening).  They were tiny fillets served fried over aoli.  Excellent.  Then the Kale served stunningly with sweet potato and bacon.  Then the half suckling pig.  Also excellent, if something of a small portion.  Then the half chicken with Summer sausage and frites.  That was the main event.  Just outstanding.  The chicken was perfect and the pairing with summer sausage was spot-on.  The fries left something to be desired, but they were not missed.
    For dessert we had the chocolate something with peanut butter cookies.  Good.  
    The Waffle - a great waffle, but it was served as breakfast, with a huge lump of butter and a small lump of jam.  It really didn't taste much like dessert at all.  
    Luckily, I added the Gingerbread, which was outstanding.
    On top of all that, the ambiance and drink list are awesome.  Service was excellent.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/8/2011

    This was truly a unique place to get to eat. I love the area it is in, a place I have never ventured to previously. The staff was pretty good but the food was fantastic. My friend and I shared a few plates including the Pork Ribs and Chicken. Both were fantastic, I loved the Pork Ribs more BUT they had too much fat on them, I would say we got about half the amount of meat we should have. The chicken was delicious and so were the fries and summer sausage that accompanied them. I would say the menu is good, but I'm not daring enough to try Head Cheese, Cow's Tongue or Blood Sausage so we went straight for the few normal items we found on the menu. The herbs/spices used on each dish were a perfect combination as well. We also enjoyed the taste of three hams, and really loved the smoked ham from Tennessee.

    The atmosphere is great, we sat outside and got to enjoy the neighborhood a little, and the smell of chocolate from the chocolate factory down the street.

    My only complaint is the lack of more normal traditional farm dishes, I grew up in Iowa and head cheese was not a common dish, but for those that can stomach that more power to you. In addition the menu was a little hard to follow, they could have broken it up better and explained that it was more family style (but that could just be my own stupidity).

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/13/2011

    We started with the pork rinds, and moved our way to the charcuterie plate, which had a sampling of various pork preparations, all of which were enjoyable, but my fave being the pork pie.
    If you are a pork belly fan, it is an absolute must you try this. It was flawless, with a crispy and tantalizingly sweet glaze.
    Servers were attentive. If you can, book a reservation for one of the "pig pens", they are private and spacious and fun for small groups.

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/16/2010

    PROS

    The food is outstanding.  I mean OUTSTANDING - and is reason enough to go.  Pork, any way you like it is done at a level I didn't think possible.  Too many items on the menu that sounded wonderful, so I will be back for the menu alone.

    Beer selection is outstandingg, and dare I say "fun."  Again, reason to return to try more beers that I had previously never heard of.

    CONS

    Service was at best - mediocre.  Sat way too long with empty beers for comfort.  Missing table settings, hurried servers were overseated.

    Finally, the cutesy communal table strategy isn't for me.  I go to have dinner with my wife, nobody else.  IT will always work against my decision to return.  If we could guarantee a table to ourselves, I would return once a month.  But I have no interest in what other people have to say or do.  So it's sad, but unfortunately, it's part of the decision making process.

    Food and Beer = GREAT
    Service and Seating = Not so great

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/11/2010
    Listed in The Grocery Bistro

    Definitely a great gastropub to hang out with great friends for the atmosphere and the beers.

    The beer/wine selection was extensive. The ambiance was festive, the service attentive.  The food selections were pricey and tiny but mostly good.

    Be ready to sit very close to your neighbors since the chairs are all placed very close one another but very nice decor what remind me of The Grocery Bistrio on Washington St.

    Since the only reservation slot available for that Friday was 10 pm (I called at 4pm) and we didn't want to wait until 10, we took a chance venturing out there sans reservations and totally lucked out by snagging 2 of the 5 remaining first-come-first-serve bar seats at 6 pm with no wait.... within minutes of our arrival, every one of the 9 seats at the bar would be occupied, at least for the next 40 minutes.  (Probablly because of the beer offer)

    We had the following..

    Trappistes Rochefort Belgian Ale ($13) - goes very well with bar food. Very tasty.

    Chef selection of 6 oysters ($15) - 3 west coast and 3 east coast oysters. Tasty  but only the west coast was excellent.

    Spicy pork rinds ($5) - super light, very little grease, excellent texture, taste and flavorings.

    Charcuterie plate ($21) - featuring pork pie, pork-foie gras terrine (excellent), coffee cured pancetta (good), morteau sausage (very tasty), pickles & mustards were all good.

    However, I was not a fan of that lardo on bread since it was just fat and bread. Yuck.

    Pork belly ($21) - did not impress and was way overrated. Just a piece of not-very-tender-pork. Very plain and very average.
    So I'd say just pass on the Pork Belly at The Publican.

    Overall, great experience!

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/13/2012

    This is a fairly new restaurant. Simple decoration and hip atmosphere. Reservations are recommended. The dishes are small so you'll need to order several dishes to try with your party. The wine list is simple and limited. Prices are expensive. Overall, worth a try.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/26/2010
    1 check-in

    We came in for after-work drinks and appetizers on Friday.  AWESOME.  We were told we didn't need any reservations as long as we were on our merry way by 6:30--since it was 4:30, that gave us plenty of time.  

    We all drank from their extensive beer menu, and most of it was delicious.  Even the beers that weren't exactly my cup of tea, someone at the table enjoyed.  

    We had some pretzels (YUMM-O), frites, the charcuterie, and the mussels.  Mussels were hands down my favorite.  Served in a dutch oven white wine sauce, hmmm....  My only beef with the mussels is that they might have provided some more bread so that we could sop up even more of that delicious sauce.  

    I'll probably try to come back for dinner sometime.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/11/2012
    1 check-in

    Must visit when you are in Chicago. Good food, good wine, good ambiance. My friend threw in the pretentious "is this wine organic?" question to our server, who did a great job with making some thing up that sounded very impressive. Jokes aside, this a nice restaurant. I liked it.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 5.0 star rating
    4/11/2010

    Screw the reservation, real men sit at the bar, so we did (right before the John Mayer concert of course).

    Honestly one of the best places I've been to in a while in Chicago.  The hype doesn't lie.  We got a couple of delicious recommended beers, and being pleased with them, decided to let the waitress pick the rest of our menu.  She didn't do too bad - the oysters were fresh, the ham delicious, the artichokes (who eats artichokes) came with the freshest cheese i've ever tasted (burrata) which actually had no taste and was mostly all texture, the asian marinaded pork ribs were amazing, and just when we thought it couldn't get better, they brought out the braised pork belly with curried cauliflower ... mmm mmm good!  Decided to get some desert too, which wasn't a bad decision whatsoever.  Left happy and the walk to United Center burned off most of the calories.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/18/2010
    9 check-ins

    I have only ever had the pleasure of enjoying Sunday brunch here and it is so delightful that my friends and I have made it an almost weekly ritual to haul ass here after church and cross our fingers that they aren't out of anything!
    First thing we order: Publican mimosa is amazing - I never would have thought beer and orange juice would be so much better than a champagne mimosa!
    I even tried a "beer-mosa" at Cafe Centraal in Milwaukee for comparison and it came nowhere close to the Publican mimosa. The German beer that they pair with the orange juice is perfect.
    Second thing we ALWAYS order - fries w/fried eggs on top and the maple syrup braised Publican bacon. Those dishes alone make for a perfect meal but when there are at least four people fighting over every last morsel, you really should order an entree!
    I have tried the red-wine poached eggs, la quercia prosciutto (that is sliced fresh in house), sourdough & bearnaise - best kind of "benedict"!
    The fried french toast I had once but a bit over-fried and kinda hard, but the warm apple compote and housemade maple sausage that accompanied it made the dish really stand out.
    My sister once ordered the ham & eggs and when the plate came we felt like the Flintstones! The hunk of "ham steak' seriously reminded me of the "brontosaurus burgers" made popular in the opening credits of the show (that caused the car to tip over in the drive-thru).
    Last but not least - if you are lucky enough to get there before they run out, the cashew sticky buns are TO DIE FOR! I always take a few home to enjoy later once I get my stretchy pants on!

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/28/2011

    4 stars for the potted meat surprise that I was seriously licking my lips as I enjoyed it - I have no idea what's in it or how they make it but I could not get enough.  
    I like the decor and great location, staff was friendly (though a bit slow otu of the gate).  Only thing I'm not a fan of is that the menu and service is so adamant about family style dining - sometimes I just want to eat what I want to eat (and with the delicious food I don't want to share).

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/7/2010

    I'm almost compelled to create a separate yelp account and give Publican an additional five stars so it equals ten, but even then, it would not be enough to articulate the time I had here.

    Now, I know what people are saying about this place. It's silly. It's ridiculous. I understand the need to hate on a hyped restaurant, and I can't speak for everyone's experiences, but if you walk out of this place with anything less than a five star review- you're doing the publican wrong.

    Alright, that volcanic eruption of praise, why is it so good? Get ready, this is going to be a long one.

    I went here with my dad on my birthday, a wednesday night in December. We showed up at roughly 5:00 and the hostess sat us right away. We were informed that the dinner menu hadn't been printed yet, but they gave us their lunch menu. No big deal, we only had to wait 30 minutes for the Dinner menu, so we ordered a Chef's selection of Oysters and a couple beers.

    Dear god in heaven. These oysters. It was a complete tour of East Coast/West Coast oysters. We could taste the difference from each perfectly shucked shell. But oysters are delicious, you'd have to be trying to mess up oysters.

    The dinner menu came, freshly printed, and my father and I gave it the once over. We decided that we had to have the ham plate.

    Get the ham plate.

    Get the ham plate.

    Why aren't you eating the ham plate?

    It went from a Virginia Ham to an Iowa Ham to this Spanish Ham. The first two, unremarkable, I mean they were good but I live in the united states, I am aware of what Virginia/Iowa Ham tastes like. It tastes good. I like ham.

    But the third ham. The spanish ham. This ham is for real. This ham plays for keeps. This ham is the Jamón ibérico. I can describe the thin, fatty, salty, delicious components that make up this remarkable ham to you here. I could tell you it's the greatest piece of pig I have ever tasted in my life. I could tell you that if you were a vegan you are an idiot for missing out on this and should convert immediately.

    But I wont (and I already did, see what I did there?).

    Read the wikipedia. Google it. Bring a cup, because you're going to be salivating. No amount of text on a community review site can begin to explain how I felt while eating it.

    It may have been the beers, it may have been the company, but my father and I both started laughing while eating. I have never laughed BECAUSE food was so good before in my life.

    Up next, Muscles. This broth that was on the muscles was unreal. Outstanding. It was light, lemony, spicy, had a vegetable medley, and just absolutely floored me. It came with a baguette and my dad and I sopped it up until the bowl was clean. Exquisite.

    By this time, the beers, the laughs, the incredibly accommodating, friendly, and knowledgeable wait staff had brought my dad and I into a pork frenzy. Everything was so delicious, we decided to give one more plate a go. I want to say it was the Pork Poulet but it's not on the menu anymore, and google seems to think a Pork Poulet doesn't exist. It was Pork three ways and it was exceptional.

    Stuffed! I was STUFFED! Remember that Monty Python sketch where the guy couldn't even eat a single, solitary, paper thin wafer? That's how I was feeling.

    How could I go on to order a dessert? However, it was my birthday, and gluttony was our friend, and so my dad and I decided a waffle was in order.

    This may have been the lightest, crispiest, sweetest waffle I've had in my entire life. It just straight up destroyed any waffle I've ever had. The crunch was beyond satisfying and the aroma it gave off was intoxicating (as if I wasn't intoxicated already). It was, like everything I had, prodigiously wonderful. That's right, I just thesaurus'd that word. Take that.

    We walked out of there dropping roughly 200 before tip. For two guys, tons of beers, and tons of good times -- only 200 bucks? We must have been taken care of, because I thought this place was supposed to be overpriced!

    The service was top notch. Everyone was wonderful, informative, and generally focused on making sure we had a good time. Service comparable to their quality of food. Perfect.

    Look, I understand why people are highly critical of this place. If you aren't into pork, fish, cheese or beer then this definitely isn't your jam. On the contrary, If you're looking for a memorable meal and want to share the wonderful experience of great food with those close to you, I cannot think of a single better place in Chicago to do it.

    Fantastic.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/3/2011

    hot damn chicago, looks like you're on a roll.  There are already more than enough good reviews of The Publican so I'll spare the extreme detail and jump straight to what I liked:

    They aren't beer snobs!  Even though everyone there knows the difference between "hoppy" and "bitter" they don't act like jerks when you talk to them about beer.  Its like whoever taught them about beer left out the "now that you know this you should talk down to everyone around you" part.

    The food is excellent and well portioned.  Sure the prices aren't tiny, but we fed three people with 2 dishes and a desert.  nice.

    I'm knocking it down to 4 stars because holy crap why are they charging so much for some of those bottles.  When I saw $30 for a 22 of bourbon county stout I just had to take a picture of the menu out of sheer disbelief.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/27/2012

    I think I just keeled over and died. This is MY definition of a perfect restaurant. It doesn't have to be yours, but this is my review so get over it. The decor is adorable right down to the pig pen tables. The wine and beer selection is extensive and so is the list of food. Yes things will sell out, but in my mind I know that at least the restaurant is wasting anything. Everything is so delicious and well presented. I could just eat the whole restaurant. For a poor graduate student, it does dent the wallet a bit, but I can live off PB&J for a week to splurge here on the weekend.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/26/2013

    We had a delicious dinner here last week.  The smoked lamb and short ribs were my favorites.  I love that everything is served family style so you can try a little bit of everything, and the server judged perfectly the right amount of dishes for us to order for our party size.  I thought the beer list was interesting, but a bit limited on the drafts, I actually expected more.  The bathrooms are totally cool.
    The room is really beautiful, but could really use some sound baffling to help with the noise levels.  There were six of us seated in the middle of one of the long tables, and I get that this community seating is trendy right now but really, no one likes it, so please stop doing it.  You couldn't hear the person seated two people away from you.  But I'm practically touching the stranger next to me and can hear her entire conversation.  The servers couldn't be heard by the people sitting across the table from them, which is just ridiculous.  It was also really hard to serve in this configuration and get food or drinks to people around the table when your only access is over their shoulder.  Give us back regular tables - no one wants to sit that close to strangers.
    Also, it really is not a good choice for kids.  We were visiting, so didn't have a choice on bringing our 8 year old.  If I was local, I would definitely get a sitter for the night.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/8/2010

    Poor lil piglet, Ive never tasted a piece of fat sooooooo delish!!!!

    This was a really tasty treat, that I cant even begin to describe.  You almost have to live the moment to understand where im coming from but trust me you will understand.  

    Obviously this place isnt made for your healthy veg summer diet.  I had to make the sacrifice coming here knowing that my fav piece of meat is one of their delicasies, even though I try to eat it as least as possible.   At the sametime, I'll make this as easy as possible and give my best recommendations:

    The best - Porchetta - Basically a fat filet, but seriously the best piece of fat Ive ever had the hints of rosemary and roasted apples accented this perfectly!  It seriously just melts in your mouth, but smacks your pallette w/ flavor.  
    Must get - Dover Sole/Hamachi/Lake perch/Potato Salad/Spicy pork grinds
    Should try - Pickles/Farm Chicken/Oysters
    Wasnt impressed - Country ribs

    All in all this was a fabulous place the family style portions are decent, the wait staff is great, nice hip place, this was a winner!  Hands down!!  Enjoy this feast this isnt a normal ethnic restaurant you are coming to!!!

    Love me some Oink Oink here!!

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/18/2010

    My boyfriend and I have been here twice..once for dinner and once for brunch.  We loved it!!!!  Our most recent visit was for brunch.  I had the cabernet poached eggs and he had the deep-fried french toast with a side pork belly bacon.  We both pretty much licked our plates clean!  

    We went to The Publican for dinner last year for Valentine's Day...it was intimate and perfect.  Our server was very knowledgeable of and helpful with the menu and concept as it was our first time there.  The oysters were amazing and melted in my mouth!!!!  We ordered an assortment of menu items (seafood dishes, meat samplings, vegies and of course, pork)  and shared everything.  Everything was DELICIOUS!

    I am very pleased to live near this establishment as it is top notch and will be around for awhile!!!!

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/6/2011

    Its a little late for me to write this review since the last time I went to The Publican was last year. However, I still remember how delicious the food was and how I had an awesome waitress and of course a good time.

    First off we had several things, we started off by ordering the Serrano from their meat category that was about $12. Then we went onto the main dishes, I had Country Ribs, which were delicious, the meat was tender and juicy that was $23 for a full order. Carloota (My Hub) ordered some duck dish which was OK but not all that ( I also think its not on the menu anymore) that was about $20. He also ordered a dish called Blood Sausage, I didn't try it but he said it was so good, that was $17. The last dish we ordered was  Potted Rillettes, that was really good. It is pig pate with a mix of raspberries and it comes with pieces of sourdough bread to spread it on top. Very good.

    I will definitely come back to The Publican, to try more dishes and to try their seafood. I recommend this place for a date night, friends night, anniversary's or just to dine out. Its a great place, friendly service and great food.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/25/2013

    Oysters and Suckling Pig are awesome!

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/25/2010

    What can I say about The Publican that hasn't been gushed about already?? For starters:
    -The beet salad with a mountain of ricotta and salt was amazing.
    -Frites with sunny side up eggs would be amazing for a hungover brunch.
    -Beer list is amazing. My fiance said he was in the mood for something "belgian and hoppy" and our waiter rose to the challenge by bringing us an off-menu selection and letting us sample a few options.
    -The stack of postcards on the host stand was a fun way to remember the dinner
    -Some awesome people-watching. A table near the street will let you check out the comings and goings at Lumen, especially interesting if there's a Jersey Shore party there that night.
    -Plenty of free street parking around the corner.
    -Call ahead and see if you can get one of the booths with swinging doors for your party of 4.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/9/2012

    So, my first visit here was Friday....and to be honest I was not expecting it to live up to the hype.  However, it did not disappoint!  Everything we had was absolutely delicious.  Now, I am not a seasoned wacky-meat eater....this means I have never eaten tongue, or sweetbreads or whatever.  So i went in to this not really knowing what to expect, and honestly I was a little scared of some of the descriptions on the menu.  So, we started with the potted rillettes........and holy crap was that insanely good.  It was rich, and sweet, and the bread was buttery and perfectly grilled.  Probably my favorite part of the meal.  We had excellent sides, and the suckling pig for the entree, and THAT was spectacular too.  Delicious coffee, and a really interesting rice pudding/ ice cream/ grapefruit dessert finished off our meal.  And the price was pretty reasonable for the quality of the meal.  I would love to go back and try some of their other dishes.  However.......I don't know if I will ever eat tongue.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/18/2012

    Yum! We tried it all! The trout was amazing, the brussel sprouts, the beets, the ribs, the potee, the sweetbreads...all of it was just soo good! We had a reservation and were seated at a private table that was closed like a corral. Different, but nice to be at our own table. There were four of us and we all picked things to order and shared everything. Our waiter did an excellent job of pairing the dishes and bringing them out at just the right times. The cider we tried was excellent and I had a very nice beer as well. For dessert we split the waffle. This was just amazing! Light and crispy and soo good! Yum. It is pricey, but I think worth it. I can't wait to go back for brunch!

  • 3.0 star rating
    6/28/2010

    I was so excited to come here since I love meat (especially pork) but it didn't live up to the hype. To be honest, I was starting to come down with a cold and I was so full from all the food I had eaten over the weekend but the meal was average.

    We had the sweetbreads and the bollito misto (the pork shoulder was great, sausage was ok). They were both good but didn't overly excite me. I would definitely go back but I would try the pork shoulder, the ribs, and the mixed ham plate. The beers were great (nice to see The Bruery on there which is a local SoCal brewery).

  • 1.0 star rating
    9/3/2013 Updated review

    Horrible, way over priced! Portions are ridiculously small, do not go if you are even remotely hungry. It reeks of "look at us" attempting to try to be trendy, instead of just being trendy. I prides itself on pork rinds, hello, pork rinds! Seriously, deep fried skin of a pig, is deep fried skin of a pig,$9. Service was rude and pretentious too. We were charged for 4 beers that our neighbors had. You are seated in bench type seats right next to strangers. The waiter acted like it was my fault he charged me for their beers $45 worth, mind you! He never apologized. If you want to go somewhere, be treated rudely spend $200 on food and drinks, and then go somewhere to eat,and drink (as we did) than this place is for you.

    1.0 star rating
    7/22/2011 Previous review
    Horrible, way over priced! Portions are ridiculously small, do not go if you are even remotely… Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    10/3/2010

    I know that many have reviewed, but has such a good experience Friday night, had to throw my two cents in.  Went for dinner with my friend, a PhD student visiting from Madison, and our other fellow Chicagoan friend.  Our waiter, Antonio, was friendly and attentive.  He made great beer recs, and even offered to replace my friend's beer when she didn't like what she ordered.  We ordered a bunch of things - my favorites being the Chicken (summer sausage - yum!), and the shrimp with bacon and brussel sprouts (the shrimp have their heads on, just to warn you).  We were outside and it started raining, and they moved us inside.  All in all, they let us hang out for over 3 hours!  I have been here before, but am now certain to come way more often.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/15/2010

    Best brunch space, looks amazing on a sunny day or sitting outside.
    Food is delicious.The fuzzy man who grills the toast in the kitchen is awesome....he has like a hippy headbanger look but damn I sure would like to get to know him better. The Front of the house staff is great. see ya one of these sunday mornings Jim Mankatz the best cooker I know.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/26/2011
    1 check-in

    I had dinner here on a Tuesday. Although I was there at prime time  (7:30), the wait was an hour and 20 minutes. On a Tuesday! That says something of the popularity of the place. The staff from the get go was attentive and courteous. The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly.

    The beer selection was really good. The food was better. Over the evening sampled was the cheese selection blue cheese, the oysters (the PEI were my faves), the Octopus w/ farro and sausage, the Serrano ham, and finally the lamb sausage with sides of pickles and the marinated kale. My friend and I can eat...but all the plates are manageable.  The server/bartender was great  too. Well done Publican!

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/4/2010

    The Publican was very nice to us last week.  We walked in on a weeknight with reservations.  We were seated promptly at the large communal table.  I usually detest communal tables, but this proved to be good for us - we sat next to two larger groups who had been there before and made great recommendations to us.

    Loved: Pork Belly (wow), Sardines (fried crisp and great remoulade), Kumamoto Oysters (crackers they served with them were great too),  and the Pork Rinds.

    Didn't love the Sweetbreads, but my wife raved about them.  We also had two really great bottles of beer that I'd never heard of or seen before.

    Our server was attentive and eager to help us make selections.  Table service was quick and thoughtful.  

    I'm also compelled to say the bathrooms are kickass.

    Great place for a date night or for a dinner party with several adventurous couples.  I look forward to our next visit.

    My only complaint was the cold draft that whipped in when the door was open.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/15/2010

    I thought I knew enough about beer, but scanning their beer list was quite humbling. Took me about 20 minutes and a few Google searches on my iPhone to pick out my first drink. But really, it's more fun to go to a place where you don't recognize a good 2/3 of the beer list.

    Also worth noting that while there isn't really anything vegan-friendly on the menu (the delicious frites are fried in a beef fat/vegetable oil combo), the server offered to us a special sharing platter of assorted veggies tailored to dietary restrictions. Roasted plantains, spring onions and fancy mushrooms, among other things. Nice!

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/26/2011
    2 check-ins

    It seems I'm a bit late to review this restaurant but after such an amazing dinner why not add another 5 star rating.

    My date and I started the evening with a wonderful bottle of wine and the chefs selection of 12 oysters. The Oysters seemed very fresh and were presented with a wonderful description of each.

    Ok so I waited so long to finish my review I just need to summarize and say wow!! Lol I still think about this place and can't wait to return. For me, my to three are Girl and the goat, Naha and The Publican. Mmm sweet breads ;-)

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/17/2011

    As you walk into this establishment, you are struck by an ambiance that I would characterize as a cross between a Munich beer drinking hall and a fraternity dining room.  Lots of wood tables, panelling, seats....not unattractive.  Has a communal feel to it, as you are seated at long tables alongside other guests.  It is an extremely noisy restaurant, so intimate conversations are best had elsewhere.

    We arrived a bit early, so were escorted into the "bar area."  Not really a bar...rather, a series of tall, chest-high round tables located in the center of the room around which your party (and other guests) stand and order from a very impressive list of beers (belgian, german, US micros).  In all honesty, among the approximately 45 beers listed, I didn't recognize one.  Fortunately, the staff is extremely knowledgeable and able to characterize each choice.

    Once seated, with other guests at the same table to our right and left,  we ordered from an impressive oyster selection and among a nice list of aged hams.  The ham was superb!  Went down like butta'.  Of the 3 types of oysters selected, I thought the Kumamoto and the Kusshi were not very interesting.  The third (I can't recall which!) were fantastic, however.

    For entrees, we ordered the blood sausage, the farm chicken, and the livornese fish stew, the latter served with wonderful crispy/crusty-on-the-outside and soft on the inside bread to soak up the wonderful broth.  I'd rate the actual fish and shellfish in the stew as ok.  The chicken, served with sausage and fries, as well as the blood sausage were excellent.

    The wine list, as seems increasingly the case these days, was a bit eclectic and limited.  That said, one doesn't see Austrian Gruner Veltliner all that often.   Refreshing, and a perfect match for our meal.  I would add that the wine prices are very reasonable.

    All in all, we left well-fortified having selected our fare from a long and interesting list of menu options - ready to storm the barricades!  This is a casual spot with thoughtfully prepared food and an ambiance that is pleasant, and one which seems to bring diners who don't know one another together, almost as if the entire restaurant is part of some large family gathering - quite interesting, actually.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/18/2011

    Went here and had a great time. Didn't sit in the booths or one of the big community tables, but a small 2 top towards the front of the place. Had a reservation, were seated right away, and had a fantastic guided tour of the menu. The server gave us great suggestions on beer and food, and for the most part, everything was great.

    We started with the pork rinds & half a plate of the country ham - of which I could've eaten another by myself and called that dinner because I'm a fat man inside a normal man's body. Cured ham? Yes please.

    One of their signature dishes is the farm chicken - I usually hate ordering chicken when I go out because, well, it's chicken. This takes a couple minutes, and we were warned that, but damn, it's good.

    Negatives:

    The boudin blane didn't have a lot of flavor, and, at least on our plate, there was way too much Dijon. So, that was about all I ended up tasting.

    The beer list is a little steep in price - I understand they're craft beers, but c'mon, this is Chi, and I can get a good craft beer for a lot less at several places around town, ya know?

    Overall, pretty strong first experience.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/19/2011

    WOW!!
    That's pretty much it!
    The wine here is wonderful, the beer is great, the service is impeccable and well the food was absolutely phenomenal!
    Hats off to you Publican A+++++.
    You must eat here the next time you are in Chicago, this is the place to go no doubt about it.
    I do suggest making reservations though unless you don't mind waiting hours for a table on the weekend/ or a communal table (which actually look pretty cool).
    But I would still wait to eat 3 hours here, even if I had to eat my meal standing up:)

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/11/2011
    1 check-in

    Continuing my quest on finding places that make me feel like I'm eating at the chef's table, The Publican did not disappoint. I remarked that any place where I can see the chefs at work behind the mesmerizing stainless steel facade of the kitchen is a place where I'd feel right at home. Locally sourced? A definite plus.

    Initial snickering at the incubator-looking booths aside, we were seated side by side at the corner of one of the long tables that ran along the main room. How considerate, I pondered to myself, that rather than placing us somewhat awkwardly between two different conversations across from each other - mind you, these tables are about as private as economy seats on a sold-out US Airways flight - we could hear each other speak. Though I wished we had a private table to ourselves.

    "You'll love this place for all things pig", he mentioned, and boy was he right. I've had a curiosity for pork rinds ever since i saw them on the Food Network but for some strange reason, my home city of Boston does not deliver in abundance. The Publican did. Greasy, crisp, with a dash of cheese and spice. I wish it could have been spicier, but that is not the point, I downed more than my fair share.

    Oh before that, we had the oyster sampler too. Since I average so many Island Creeks every month that any more would send me straight to homesick highway, I took the west coast oysters and he took the east coast ones. Perfect and fresh, high flavor packed into a small package, though I wish there was more to the sauce.

    Sweet potato sformato. It was finger licking good, a perfect mound of heavenly mush coating my mouth.

    No pork belly available, but our waiter, who reminded me of a street saxophone player with his chill drawl, suggested the suckling pig with truffled rice soubise and cabbage. He noted that it would not be as tender. So it completely beat my expectations when it arrived, melting like butter under my knife, juicy and flavorful. The portions felt just right.

    Definitely hope to come back. Reservations recommended.

  • 1.0 star rating
    7/26/2010

    Had a terrible experience at the Publican - we waited for our table for over an hour before we finally left.  A couple next to us, waiting, had the same experience.  During our wait we ordered a couple beers and the famous fries - the beers along took 20-25 minutes to get out to us, and the fries came about 15 minutes after that.  

    This was my second time at the Publican - the 1st time was a good experience but not sure if i can get past the horrible service my wife and I had.  

    The next night we went to the Girl & the Goat, total opposite of Publican...looks like the Publican better watch out.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/18/2009

    When we got to The Publican it wasn't all that packed. We were also coming in later, though, so who knows how it was earlier. We stood at a highboy table while we waited to get seated and each ordered bloody marys and beer. The Publican Bloody Mary is made with homemade bitters, balsamic vinegar, chopped celery, Fresno chili, horseradish, regular tomato juice, and Titos vodka. It was delicious, although I thought it was a bit on the thick and chunky side. I needed a straw or something to drink it. A spoon! We had six people all together and when our party all arrived we were seated. Immediately we ordered pork rinds and bacon. Before trying them, I wasn't sure about the pork rinds, but they were so light and crispy. The bacon was delicious. Maple braised. The salty and sweet combination was fabulous.

    For our meals, this is what we got:

       * Benton ham, red wine-poached egg, grilled bread and béarnaise ($12)
       * Weiswurst and pretzel ($10)
       * Wood-fired egg with harissa, Gouda and grilled bread ($8)
       * Pork confit, shrimp and andouille stew with scrambled eggs ($14)
       * Smoked ham chop with Bird Mill grits and poached egg ($12)

    Everybody was really satisfied with their entrees. We were all so excited to be there and brunch at The Publican definitely did not let us down. I loved the ambiance inside. There's a lot of light wood and it was bright and sunny when we went. The lights weren't on, it was all ambient light and gorgeous. The service was spot on. My entree, the wood-fired eggs, was taking longer than everyone else's to come out of the kitchen, so they gave me a tomato & ricotta crustada on the house. It was the only blip in service and they made up for it immediately. And the food... was delicious. I'd definitely like to come back to The Publican for brunch... but especially want to check it out for dinner now.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/21/2011
    1 check-in

    Came here over MLK weekend with a bunch of friends and The Publican gave a whole new meaning to pork rinds for us! It was so good, we had the waiter "to-go" some for us!   The decor here is very simple yet works very well for them and also the menu.  The pictures of the hogs and pigs are great!

    Some of the dishes we had: 1 of each oysters- east bay won by unanimous votes.  bouchot mussels- was to DIE for!!! We soaked up the last bit of the juice with bread after devouring the mussels.  The king crab- we could have lived without.  Aged ham- very good! MUST try!  And last but not the least.... Sweetbread!!!!!!  I wasn't a fan but The Publican made me a fan and we had to order another plate!!! So good!

    Publican, thank you for the awesome experience!!! I left a happy happy girl! =)

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/20/2011
    1 check-in

    Some of the previous reviews of this place has got to be among the DUMBEST I have ever read. Bitching about the lights??? Really, jackass? People come to Yelp to read reviews about the food, service, and get tips about the dining experience - not about the fucking lights (which you are STILL wrong about, by the way).

    Well I for one, thought Publican was the highlight of my trip. We had a party of 8, reservations at 10:30pm, right after our meal at Avec! Although both are sister restaurants, I enjoyed the fare at Publican more. Every dish we ordered (oysters, sweetbreads, mussels, ham, and those oh-so-good pork rinds) were hits. Loved the seating, loved all the Pig artwork, and Loved the Publican overall. =)

  • 2.0 star rating
    1/11/2010

    We had a reservation but still had to wait nearly an hour, standing in the vestibule with dozens of other restive folk.  Host apologized three times to me with the same message:  your table is getting up and it will be only 10 minutes. The third time I interrupt the host and finish her sentence for her. Finally I can stand no longer, explain I have a bum knee and 2 seconds later a chair is plunked down right in front of the host station.  I can sit down but now I feel emotionally worse, like I am some crippled old lady, everyone who walks in stares at me.  No drinks are offered to those of us in line, we're just standing (or in my case sitting) and waiting.

    Finally they seat spouse and me and offer us drinks on the house, we thank the server for the peace offering, hoping that the best is yet to come.

    Room is mobbed and painfully loud.  They had not fixed the acoustics since our prior visit five months ago, though our server told us back then that they were about to add some sound-deafening materials.  We had delayed our return hoping that either Publican's popularity had waned enough to quiet the crowd, or management had invested in some fabric. Alas, still nary a tablecloth or rug or curtain in sight.

    Then we order.  Rillettes, salad, frites. My spouse orders pork belly for his main and I order the housemade boudin blanc for mine.  My favorite sausage from Belgium, white veal sausage similar to a veal brat but with more elegant seasoning.  We get our apps (very good) and an appropriate interval later spouse gets his pork belly......and then I wait, and wait, and wait...no boudin blanc in sight.

    Can't find our server, and backwaiter who had brought the porkbelly is clueless.  Finally flag down our server after 15 minutes--looked like he was responsible for about 50 tables--and he replies that the SOP at Publican is that one dish comes out at a time, and people share them, sort of like a tapas or dim sum place.  So he "assumed" that's the way we wanted our dinner, too.  

    I point out that (as we told him earlier in response to that rather annoying question asked by too many servers these days) yes we have been there before.  We know the drill, and know dishes can be served simultaneously instead of sequentially.  I remind him I said "this is his main course, this is mine, we want them brought out together". Oh, most likely the backwaiter was confused, breech of tradition and all that. Boudin should be up shortly.

    Meantime I insist that spouse eat his dinner so it won't get cold. No one has made an effort to remove his pork belly and bring him v2.0 to synchronize with MY main.  It is now 10:00pm, we arrived 7:50pm.

    Another 30 minutes go by, no boudin blanc.  Server apologizes, an assistant manager comes over to our table and apologizes.  He knows our res had not been honored, too, I'm dumbfounded that they would compound errors. The lame excuse for the missing sausage now is that the resto is really busy (duh) and the kitchen is backed up. I tell him that my poor little porker should have been priority given what happened.  Paul Kahan himself should have thrown the blasted sausage on a corner of the giant grill, cooked it up in 5 minutes, and served it to me.

    Boudin blanc finally arrives about 10:45.  I'm not really hungry any more.  Have eaten too much good bread, the apps, and 1+ orders of french fries (the first order comes out blanketed in salt).  I eat half the sausage, ask for doggy bag.  In case you're wondering, yeah, it was good, but not thaaaaat good.  Now it's 11pm, our ears are ringing, I'm tired of sitting, my knee is throbbing, we want the blazes out.  We ask our server for the check.

    The general manager (not the assistant) comes out and introduces herself.  Tells us the entire dinner has been comped, gives us her card, tells us to come back soon and ask for her, implication is that she'll comp us again until we are happy.  

    We decide to be decent and give the server a nice tip.  We agree that it wasn't (mostly) his fault, couldn't blame him for the house not honoring our res, or for the kitchen not getting its grill priorities straight, tho maybe it was his fault that the two mains didn't come out together, but more likely we think it was the backwaiter getting his signals crossed.  We tell the server to bring us a zeroed out bill so we can put a tip on it and he absolutely refuses.  Don't think it was management telling him no, but that he really didn't think he deserved anything.  So we left a $20 bill on the table, whoever got it we don't know.  Hope it wasn't the grill man.

    Bottom line,  the food is quite good in a rustic way (though I wouldn't recommend it to someone who keeps Kosher), but sound level is just slightly below sonic boom and res are honored about as often as a Bears quarterback.  So far, Publican't.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/13/2010 Updated review

    BREAD!

    So wonderful, crusty, earthy, and delicious.  All restaurants should serve free bread like the Publican.  But the real reason for my update?  Spicy pork rinds.  Oh yes.  One of the people I was dining with said it best about the pork rinds.  "These things are so good they almost make me want to start watching football".  I think that says it all.

    This place is simply fun if nothing else.  I could eat here once a week and enjoy every trip.  Whether it's munching on pork rinds, drinking great beer, or dining in the fun atmosphere.  I love it here.

    4.0 star rating
    5/31/2009 Previous review
    The Publican perfectly produces pleasant pork products.

    I popped my pork rinds cherry this morning…
    Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    10/15/2010
    1 check-in

    The atmosphere is amazing with high ceilings, globe pendant lights, communal tables surrounded by "pig pen" small tables on the perimeter.  There's no text anywhere in the restaurant, just large paintings of pigs on the walls.  

    We started with pork rinds and apple salad.  The apple radish salad was amazing and I enjoyed the spicy cheese seasoning on the pork rinds.  From there we had the langostines with a decadent butter sauce, a taste of three hams and the fideus, which was a casserole of chorizo, rabbit, escargot and house ricotta. This was a great second course that was enough for everyone in our party to sample and enjoy the delicious meat delights.  Our third course was the pork belly and the sweetbreads.  Both were huge portions and cooked properly.  The sweetbreads were even topped with shaved burgundy truffles.  

    We loved the focus on pairing craft beer with a decadent meal and also how the staff was very attentive.  The staff was also extremely knowledgeable without coming off as pretentious.  They made us feel welcomed and appreciated.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/11/2013

    Amazing food and fantastic service.  A great beer list started our dinner experience.  After ordering our meal delicious dish after delicious dish were brought out. Do not miss the pork rinds, the fries with egg, or the pound cake for desert.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/13/2011

    Loved everything about this place, right down to the plates that made me feel like I was in my grandmother's kitchen in the country.

    Clearly the designers have a good sense of humor to create booths that simulate being in a pig pen with large wooden doors that enclose around you.  Loved the lighting and the clean simple designs in the place.

    I'll keep this short and sweet but if there's a "must try" list, obviously you gotta go for the pork belly.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/27/2010

    One of the best and most fun meals I've ever had in Chicago. I'm not sure really what else I could say that the 600 previous patrons haven't already. I guess I'll try...

    Of course the beers are great. They're great because the higher alcohol content sneaks up on ya, and definitely makes it worth the price. This is the first restaurant where I've ever had a fresh oyster. We order the smaller platter for four people, as three of us were oyster virgins. It would so good that we immediately ordered another sampling!

    We tried so many things of the menu. It was one of the few times where I've gone to a restaurant and pretty much tasted everything I wanted. It was liberating to tell the waiter, "I want this, and this, and this, oh, and a side of this!" Personally, I'd say that the mussels were my favorite dish of the night. A HUGE caldron of fresh mussels in a delicious garlicky broth was absolutely worth the fair price. Other favorites of the evening was the pork belly, roast chicken, and oddly, the brussel sprouts.

    I don't tend to comment on restaurant "concepts" or atmosphere, but this place has a vision. I loved the pig pen booths, and even though the restaurant was bustling and filled with loud conversations, as soon as we were sat in our "pen" the only people I could hear were my lovely dining companions. The lighting is also really cool. I love the big ball lanterns, and whatever bulbs they used just casted the most warm and inviting glow throughout the space.

    I love it, and can't wait to come back someday!

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/10/2010

    This place is very cool. Such a lively crowd and great open space. Came last weekend with my husband...been wanting to check this place out for a while and so glad we came.

    I love the idea of a plate of pickled veggies, I love anything pickled, so we started with a plate of pickled carrots, Brussel sprouts, pickles, onions...

    My favorite small dish though was the Mushrooms with egg custard. Oh my goodness, it just melts in your mouth!

    Wagu beef was my favorite entree. I wish we had gotten two of those, but the lamb sausage was very good. The only dish that wasn't really for me was the kale. Everything else was amazing.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/23/2010
    1 check-in

    Its simple, this place is fantastic.  Publican brings the Belgian beer hall to Chicago and continues the Paul Kahan juggernaut in the city.

    Publican is about three things; pork, oysters & beer. From the list of hundreds of beer choices you will be able to find one that matches whatever you order.

    We were there this past week for brunch and tried the saurbraten sandwich and the ham and eggs.  The ham was a huge slab of pork the Publican brines in the restaruant and was served with perfectly cooked eggs. The saurbraten sandwich was not whatever you had at the last German restaurant you went to but was a rich marinated piece of moist pork on a fresh roll served with Belgian style fries (no Belgian style mayo though).

    You have to order the side of bacon which is closer to looking like shortribs than what you may think of as bacon but was so rich and flavorful we were talking about it days later.  They also make fresh cooked pork rinds, aged hams, rilletes and charcuterie none of which you can go wrong with.

    We have been there for dinner and its also amazing. Make reservations and be prepared for communal tables but go for the amazing pork and beer combinations that you can get nowhere else in Chicago.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/4/2010

    I want to give The Publican 3 and a half stars because it is better than three stars but not quite 4 in my opinion.  A friend and I had the bright idea to come here after gorging at Hot Doug's and drooling over crawfish sausage we devoured.  

    It was late afternoon/early evening and thought it would be a good time to go before dinner service for a little "nosh" if you will.  The decor is really sleek and old school at the same time with balls of light hanging and a massive communal table that'll make King Arthur look poor.  We opted to seat in one of the side tables close to the windows.  

    We started off with a dozen oysters without realizing that each oyster cost 3 dollars and up.  I don't mind paying for a fair deal but I felt sort of shorted by the size of the oyster and the mignonette sauce that came with.  It wasn't the quality that I was expecting and in between this our charcuterie plate took about 25 minutes to come out, from what I saw was a few items really worth calling a charcuterie platter.  The sausage was flavorful, the beef shoulder was good, but I was really disappointed with the head cheese because it came out in this weird mash up looking thing.  This set us back 21 dollars.  The next item we ordered took another 20 minutes to come out which was the best part of our super extravagant snack and they were the mussels which I swear initially tasted a bouillon cube but I gave it the benefit of the doubt because they were very succulent and plentiful.  

    It wasn't a terrible experience and it wasn't a great experience.  I try to steer clear of places that have so much hype built to it because I feel like it ends up being a lot of fluff and kind of hokey.  I get it, pigs are awesome.  And just because a place is known for one kind of meat shouldn't mean they should do everything sub par...just don't have it on the menu if you know its not going to be as good as the "pig."  

    We left craving the crawfish sausage from Hot Dougs still.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/18/2010

    I had a fantastic experience at this establishment.

    Our group of 4 was lucky enough to score one of the private booths, which offered plenty of privacy to hold intriguing conversations, but I didn't feel cut off from the hustle of the rest of the restaurant.

    I think our group ordered perfectly.  We tried many different items, including the clams, the yellowtail, the pork belly, the pork rinds, oysters, salads and many other things.  I didn't feel disgustingly full afterwards and was pleasantly satisfied (another group of friends went the same night randomly and ordered all pork and nothing else and were not as happy).

    Overall I would definitely go back and hope for the same experience.  It was truly wonderful.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

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  • 3.0 star rating
    7/30/2011

    I've visited The Publican twice and had two different dining experiences.

    My first visit was over a year ago. I ordered wine, oysters, and some type of steak (which may no longer be on the menu), and a chocolate cake for dessert. The wine was good but not memorable. The oysters were AMAZING. The steak was fine but not evenly cooked. I expected more consistent preparation, but alas, no. The chocolate cake was also just good -- nothing memorable.

    My date had the roasted chicken, which was a bit dry. French (or possibly Belgian?) fries accompanied the chicken, which were also AMAZING.

    I quickly concluded that if I were to return, I should stick to beer, oysters, and fries.

    Just returned last night to The Publican with no existing reservation and was able to score seats immediately at the bar. My friend and I ordered beer and the chef's selection of oysters. DELICIOUS. The chef's selection included three oysters each from the West and East Coasts. The kusshi and lady chatterlay were my favorites. My beer (Bellegems Bruin) was sour, savory, and gratifying with the oysters. All servers that we encountered were helpful and gracious -- even when our oysters took awhile to come out of the kitchen.

    So, considering the steep prices and lackluster food, why would I return? The atmosphere is great at Publican. I like the decor and energy. I think that it's not a dinner spot for me, but a place that I can end the night after a gallery opening or begin the night on my way to a club. I like that I can be spontaneous and just show up at Publican and have a seat at the bar and enjoy clean, briny, salty, meaty oysters and wash them down with wide selection of refreshing beers. It would be a simple, semi-occasional pleasure.

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/8/2012

    The food here is really amazing. What we had was unique and inventive. It was our second visit and the food was every bit as good as the first. Unfortunately, the food is marred by its service and for that I had to dock it a few stars.

    The logistics of the waitstaff is seriously flawed.

    More waitstaff means faster service right? Not if they don't communicate with each other. Throughout the dinner service we came into contact with the hostess, waiter at the standing table for drinks, a waiter that seated us, our main waiter, and about 3 other people got us water. That's a total of 6-7 people!

    We made a reservation, but still had to wait 40min at the standing table before they seated us. This is NOT normal wait time with a reservation and the waiter that seated us apologized for the delay. We sat at our table for another 20min before meeting our main waiter.

    During the 20min, we had wait staff serve us water multiple times, but no main waiter to be found. At this point we we're essentially invisible. The main waiter apologized and said there was a miscommunication.

    The slow service continued to be persistent throughout dinner as we waited 10 minutes for our tables to be busted and get our bill.

    What we experienced was a case of wait staff acting as islands. None of the waiters had a FULL history of our wait time because they didn't communicate. We love the food here, but the service is keeping us away.

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/17/2010

    Great food - the pork rinds are incredible.   But so was most everything.  

    Great service - our waiter knew his way around the extensive beer menu and served us some real delights and knowledge.

    Later that night,  my car was stolen out of my garage after I used my spare key.  The police suspect the valet which, for the record is a owned by a separate company.  

    As a result, I'm on the fence about The Publican.   Love the food and atmosphere, but one of their contractors came to my house and stole my car!!!!

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/7/2010

    Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm late to the pig party.  Get over it.  I like to be fashionably late.

    A friend and I finally got around to trying Publican tonight, and if there's one regret that we have, it's that we waited so long.

    Upon arriving, we were seated at a corner of one of the communal tables.  Very cool, though we were right next to one of the boxed off booths and while I enjoy communal dining, I have to confess that I really really really wanted one of those privateish booths.  I mean, they have a door!

    So the food - it's ohmygod good.  Our server advised 2-3 dishes per person (I think this was ambitious - or maybe we looked really hungry?) so we ended up ordering: pork rinds, roasted tomatoes with baked ricotta, suckling pig, a rabbit/lamb combo somethingorother, brussel sprouts, and the half chicken.  While we easily could have cut out a course or two, I will say - everything was delicious.  Perfectly seasoned, and just a delight to eat.  I wouldn't get as much next time, but what the hell, it was a birthday celebration.

    Also a delight?  The wine list!  For a place that's all about beer, I wasn't expecting such a large wine selection.  For real - I've been to a lot of places that don't have half of what Publican offers.  And at very reasonable prices, to boot.  YAY!

    Despite being stuffed to bursting, we still had to get dessert - as I said - it's a freaking birthday!  So we split the chocolate caramel tart with concord grape ice cream.  Sounds like it shouldn't go together, right?  But somehow, it works.  I don't know how, it just does.  The chocolate and caramel were almost like eating the candy bar of your dreams.  The concord grape ice cream added just enough tartness to balance it out.

    Publican, it took a long time for us to meet, but I have a feeling we're going to be spending a lot of time together now that we've gotten acquainted...

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/7/2010

    Despite the communal table-induced screaming-across-the-table fest throughout the meal, we had a pretty awesome time here last night.  We arrived around 6pm on a Wednesday night sans a reservation and were quite surprised to find that all of the tables were reserved on a Wednesday night.  A happening spot, we thought.

    We began with an assortment of fresh oysters.  Our favorite was the kushi from British Columbia.  Very clean, bright, and smooth.  Then we feasted on some more seafood.  The mussels were pretty great.  But I must disagree with our waiter and refute the "best-in-Chicago" claim.  The baguette served alongside the dish, however, was perhaps one of the best I've had thus far.  

    Then we moved onto the pig's head.  Unlike the name, it was pleasant (i.e. not morbid) in presentation that resembled a crab cake.  It was buttery and flavorful.  A bit on the heavy side, but that's why you share these plates. ;-)

    The wine was flowing, and the staff had no problem with us trying several different ones before choosing a few.  Very friendly and attentive.

    Jolly times.  I shall definitely return for some short ribs and other yummy offerings on the menu.  And... brunch!

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/25/2011

    Popped over here a week ago for a bite to eat on route from Meze (could not dine here as a event was going on). Fortunately the Meze valet clued us in that reservations are needed and he called in for us (last minute) to get a table. Service was very good, however, quite slow. Despite the lag in time from when our ordered was received the quality of food was quite good as well the friendliness of the staff.
    Yes def try this spot, but its not a place to eat and run, its a hang out to sit and chat, cocktail and linger.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/24/2011

    Being a huge pork fan, even though I am Jewish, I come here every time I am in Chicago.  The huge paintings of pigs adorning the walls should give you some indication of what's to come.  Since the menu changes acording to the season, it is hard to recommend specific dishes since chances are that you won't find them again. They have a comprehensive list of artisan beers to choose from and all of their meat products are sourced close to Chicago.  If communal tables are not your thing, you can always sit in one of the cozy booths off to the side.  Servers are very knowledgeable of the food and drinks so you are in good hands with their recommendations if you are going for the first time or you dont know some of the menu items.  They are not shy about serving offal which, to me, is the sign of a confident, well run kitchen.  

    This time our group had:

    Pork rinds (a constant on the menu, fried in butter, and will rock your world and have little to nothing in common with their convenient store relatives.  Dont question...just get these)
    Smoked Sablefish with an apple salad that provided a nice bright counterpoint to the fatty fish.
    Potted pork rilette with thick cut bread with a sweet jam on top
    Suckling pig over polenta with oranges.  A
    Roasted chicken (another constant and a phenomenal dish...always the sign of a good kitchen if you can make a roast chicken taste awesome)
    Porchetta-This 24oz behemoth seasoned Italian pork roll included the pork belly and the loin filled with chunks of vegetables.  Enough food for 3-4 people
    A great, shaved brussel sprout salad served with ricotta cheese cheese on the bottom
    Roasted Sunchokes.
    Lemon sorbet with lavender cream.
    Chess pie with coffee ice cream

    As always, this place lives up to expectations and is a pork lovers paradise.   That said, they seem to be placing a lot more emphasis on their seafood as well. Seafood covered the whole left side of the menu tonight.  While I am always up for a good piece of fish, when it comes to Publican, pork is king.  Just look at the walls!

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/22/2010

    This place is not good for the following people:

    Muslims looking for a post Ramadan feast.
    Vegetarians
    Orthodox Jews
    Poor people
    People who like a large, extensive, balanced menu
    People who usually drink Miller Lite

    In other words, they should rename the place Porklican and it would be more fitting.

    The food isn't bad. I had the red wine, poached egg thing and it was good. It wasn't a lot of food but when you add in a few beers it ends up being enough. They do have a very extensive beer list and the waiters know the beers well and can help pair them with the foods and can give recommendations to suit your tastes as well. A lot of Belgian and German beers but a lot of American micro-brews, British and even a Norwegian beer.

    Having all this beer, you would think it would be a bar but no, it isn't an all day long bar, it is a restaurant and it closes mid-day until dinner time. You go there to eat, not to drink.

    I would possibly go back to try dinner but I probably won't make the trip down to have brunch again even though it was decent enough food.

    It is expensive, especially the beer.

    Oh, and don't expect a thin piece of crispy bacon if you decide to order bacon. This is twice as thick as your typical slice of Christmas ham and is mostly fat, like most bacon but when its an inch thick it just makes more of an impact. I am not saying their bacon is bad, just different than what you are used to.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/29/2011

    Hearing about the impossibility to get into this place, we were psyched about booking a 5:30pm reservation 3 hours beforehand... and I am glad we decided to go earlier in the evening!  Towards the end of our meal the place was crammed to the gills with people, at the communal tables and by the doorway waiting for spots.

    The oyster sampler is the way to go!  We ordered so much food, pork rinds, frites with egg, and pork belly dinner.  Beer selection was amazing!  We had great conversation with our server about taste transitions between beers and wines.  She even brought out a rare ridiculously mega hoppy beer for my bf to try after sharing his enthusiam for the hops.  We stuffed our face with glee and gave the couple next to us pitying looks- all they ordered was a salad and dessert.  SALAD?!  I am not sure this is really the place to go and order just a salad, but to each's own.

    Looking forward to trying the brunch next time....

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/8/2010

    On my second night in town we ate at The Publican. It is my new favorite restaurant. It is a must try when you are in Chicago and is one of the best restaurants I have ever been to. It's meat, shellfish, and beer. I can't wait to go back to Chicago and eat here again.

    Weihenstephaner Vitus: This was a, weizenbock,  a more powerwful and stronger weizen beer. It was good.

    Burratta and Beet Salad: This salad was made of burratta, beets, walnuts, green olives, and a light dressing. The only way I can describe this salad was smooth. A bit with all the ingredients in it was so smooth it was almost like you didn't eat anything.

    Pickles: I love pickles. Especially when you have more than just cucumbers.

    Spicy Pork Rinds: This was my first time eating pork rinds. It's doubtful I will ever have any better.

    Dungeness Crab: Steamed dungeness crab with potatoes and pesto. The only thing I didn't like about this was sharing it.

    Kobe Beef: I am pretty sure this was kobe beef. Cooked to a perfect medium rare with some feta cheese and charred lettuce. Wonderful.

    Pork Belly: Man oh man. Pork belly with little clams and tomato. This dish would have been good as just a piece of cooked pork belly. Definitely something you have to share. Too rich for any one person's blood.

    Farm Chicken: This was a spicy who chicken served with fries. Oftentimes chicken can be served dry. If chicken is dry it has been ruined. The Publican served a perfectly moist blackened chicken that is too die for.

    You really need to go to The Publican and try it out for yourself. You won't find many restaurants serving this kind of menu and this good of food in the world.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/20/2010

    Best brunch I've ever had. Really good bloody mary with an IPA back. Scone was delicious. The pork scramble was unreal great. Lady friend got the red wine poached eggs, which was so good I wish I didn't get what I got. Which is saying something since it contained pig.

    Little secret, we showed up and they offered a seat at the bar. All they said was the seat was away from others at the bar. Little did we know it was the best seat in the house. 2 seats, separated from others at the bar, directly facing the kitchen. To say I was entertained was an understatement. Makes Benihana's show look boring.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/29/2013

    I wanted to try a "foody" type of place while visiting Chicago so we tried The Publican. We took the green line and walked 5-10 minutes to the restaurant. I didn't realize it was in an industrial area so it felt a bit strange walking to get to the restaurant. For other out of towners, its just something to keep in mind. We got there when it opened for dinner but didn't have reservations. Oops. However, we were quickly seated at the bar. We had mussels, salad, charcuterie plate, and a few different beers. There is a large selection of beers including some that are a little hard to find. From the food we tried, by far the charcuterie plate was the best. Every pork product on the plate was absolutely delicious. I thought the mussels were a little fishy. The service was awesome and the bartender who served us was really cool. If I lived closer, I'd be back for the charcuterie plate again and to try other things on the menu.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/8/2010
    1 check-in

    Love the feel of this place!  For some reason it reminds me of a lodge, but with more complexity.  Enclosed booths line the walls, long wooden tables at the center, tall bar tables, and counter seats ... your choice! We had reservations at 11:30 on a sunday and the place was full!

    - spicy pork rinds $7 ... not the kind that come out of the bag, probably the best pork rinds you could have.  
    -publican bacon, maple syrup braised $7 ... sooo thick it's more like slabs of pork than bacon really ... but good.  This is not your thick cut crispy bacon ... this is charred, thick, meaty, and definitely fatty bacon!
    -red wine poached eggs, la quercia prosciutto, sourdough, and bearnaise $11 ... the poached eggs were cooked perfectly and you could taste the faintness of the red wine.  This dish was perfect for brunch!
    -scrapple, fried egg, and sourdough $10 ... the scrapple was thick, large, and heavy! Not my first choice, but it was good and had a very distinct taste to it that is worth a try.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/6/2010
    Listed in Thumbs Up

    Five stars for it's category.  Publican delivers an immensely enjoyable gastropub experience:  soft-lit atmosphere, a stellar beer and spirits selection, a perfectly executed menu that boasts everything from fresh seafood (oysters and mussels are a highlight) to heavenly frites and deserts ...but truly brings charcuterie to a whole other level.

    AND delivers impeccable service - in fact, it was one of the most memorable parts of the evening.  If you ever have a chance to sit in Holly's section, please do.  She is amiable, attentive without being intrusive, and has a great breadth of knowledge about the menu with great suggestions to offer.  One of the best experiences we've had with a server in ages.  

    Another thing I really like about Publican, is that every dish we ordered was perfect in its own right, including the pomme frites.  I know, you'd think "who can mess up a french fry?" but as I'm sure you've experienced, others can, and DO!

    The charcuterie plate is a must try if you enjoy those very rich, earthy, smoked meats - and  it pairs perfectly with any number of craft beers on offer.  IMHO, I prefer strong, dark Belgian ales no matter, but they are in reality probably too heavy alongside this plate.  A crisp, acidic Flemish sour or even a Lambic might cut the richness of this dish far better.  But if you're still uncertain, just ask your server to recommend a brew - they are incredibly knowledgeable and will be more than happy to provide samples of any beer on tap.

    The mussels are another item I would like to mention.  They are on the menu just about anywhere these days, but man-oh-man do so many restaurants get them terribly, terribly wrong.   Let me tell you, Publican does these delectable little mollusks justice.  The preparation was delicious and the mussels themselves were evenly plump (not a couple of big guys with the rest being puny and rubber-like) , cooked properly, and above all were absolutely FRESH - each and EVERY one - not a beard in sight.  Very generous portion that could easily be shared by two. Well done!

    I'm rarely ever moved by desserts but  the clafoutis had what you'd call the "wow factor."  Imagine a combination of warm and cool, sour and sugary, creamy and chewy... I wish I could be more eloquent when describing this dessert but its tastes and textures were just a beautiful contradiction!   Round off the night with the house limoncello (the absolute BEST I have EVER had - even in Italy) or other house aperitifs and you'll be smiling all the way home.

  • 1.0 star rating
    8/19/2010

    not for me.  Needed a 330  business meeting with the intentions of going to Avec that is closed for the Summer.  I love all of Paul/Korin's work.  Not my scene. Not into beer or pork.  This is just me. Place seems kinda cool but i expected something different.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/5/2010
    Listed in Chicago

    Nice place.  Would love to come here with a group so we could sit at the fenced in booths.  Since it was just my boyfriend and me, we were seated at the long communal table.  It was fun sitting between people on blind dates and first dates.  The restaurant gets pretty loud and you can easily listen/hear to conversations around you.

    The food was good, but nothing memorable.  Maybe if i was an oyster fan I'd give the Publican a five, but I HATE oysters so I didn't try any.  I did like the scallops, they were perfectly cooked.  The farm chicken with summer sausage and fries were also tasty.  But my favorite part of the meal was the cauliflower gratin with oh so yummy hamcrumbs!  I'm still not really sure what hamcrumbs are, but they sure are tasty.

    Service was also good.  Servers were knowledgeable in the food and very helpful with the drinks.  They have a good selection of whiskeys and beer!  I enjoyed my old fashion and sips of my boyfriend's beer.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/6/2010
    7 check-ins

    Everything people have to say about this place being great, is true. If you are a huge oyster fan then this place is your half shell heaven. I could go on and on about the beer and the rest of the menu but it's already been said. If you can get a reservation or you are willing to wait long just for a standing table then go and be happy.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/29/2011

    I finally made it to  The Publican.   Beer selection made this sour lover happy!  The oysters were the best I have had in Chicago.  The raw ahi app with dill cream sauce and smoked roe was amazing.  The ham sampler and a few of the vegetable sides were ok.  For my entree I had the blood sausage, which was to die for!  Apparently there was some confusion over who was serving us, as we waited for quite a long time after sitting and had to ask a busser for our servers attention.  After that service was good.  I will admit I am not a fan of the standing bar area, but the food was worth the uncomfortable wait.  I will be back for more pig and more oysters!

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/7/2011

    Admittedly, I had forgotten what schnitzel was. I really just wanted some ham, very desperately, and it seemed like the best choice. And at the Publican, at brunch, on a glorious Sunday morning with some lovely people, how could anything go wrong?

    In truth, it turned out to be less scary than it could have been -- but it was still a deep-fried, breaded, Fred Flintstone-looking piece of pig. It came topped with a fried egg (Surprise! (not)) and a sauce that elevated it from brauhaus blah to butchershop bravo.

    Daniel rightly ordered the red wine poached eggs on sourdough. We had this last time we came for brunch, and it pleased then, too -- tart, beautiful poached eggs on great sourdough accompanied by arugula and prosciutto of the most perfect age. Liane's dish, however, took the table by storm. The dirtiest rice provided a bed for outstanding shrimp (and I, let it be known, detest shrimp). It was great.

    One wee complaint must be mentioned -- the tea. Liane ordered a barrel-aged pu-erh that, when served, was a pinch of tea leaves that barely colored the water in the pot. I had a similar problem with my samurai chai, though the peppercorny punch still came through. Have I been using toomany tea leaves all this time, or was the teatrayer too stingy?

    Since a lackluster brunch at Nightwood made me question its position as Best Sunday Brunch in Chicago, I've been on the lookout for a new place to bid farewell to the weekend. Perhaps the Publican is the place.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/3/2011

    I recently came to the somewhat surprising revelation that Publican has, of all things, my favorite brunch in town. After eating dinner and brunch here a few times, I could take or leave coming back for dinner...but brunch. Oh the brunch.

    Is it the nicely spicy bloodys with tasty garnishes--pickled curried cauliflower, even--and the beer chasers? Is it the leisurely pace of the meal, despite the usual line of people waiting impatiently for your table? (Which...if you go, make a reservation. Seriously.) Is it the beautifully runny eggs? Is it the slightly unexpected twists on classic brunch dishes that give you the almighty breakfast triad of savory, salty, and sweet?

    No. It's the bacon. I'd go just for that. Everything else is just a bonus.

  • 2.0 star rating
    12/20/2009

    Publican,  I love what you do,  you just need to do it better.

    There are quite a few complaints about waiting and reservations being messed up.  This is a hard thing to bitch about unless you have experienced it several times.

    Service was fine,  friendly and efficient.  Although when asking how something was prepared the server was very ignorant of the cooking technique  used.

    Half the food was great,  the other half was mediocre,  it is depressing to see such ingredients so twisted,  and convoluted.  Keep it simple,  stop trying to show how cutting edge you are and you will gain a couple of stars,  I will return,  but not til next year.

    Beer list is fantastic.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/21/2012

    Love the Publican, definitely the best restaurant in the Paul Kahan empire. The room is bright and open, and buzzing with conversation. Personally, I enjoy the communal seating experience, I feel like it adds to the energy of the place.

    I've never disliked anything I've ordered from The Publican; my favorites are the oysters, whole roasted fish and seafood stew. I don't eat red meat or pork, but I'm always able to find (too many) things I want to eat on the menu.  Also the waffle with ice cream and/or jam dessert (it changes every time) is so fantastic I've never ordered any other dessert there.

    Whenever I leave the Publican I'm plotting my return visit. Still haven't gone for brunch but that's next on the list...

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/23/2012

    AMAZING! My friends and I tried a variety of items, trying not to fight over the last bite. Everything was fantastic. I am not usually a carnivore, but I would definitely go back for the potted rillettes and smoked arctic char.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/6/2011

    Publican is a neat newly imagined American beer hall from the same people who brought you Blackbird and Avec.   You have the communal tables, lots of beer, and sausages if you like.  But it's also a lot more with great oysters and aged ham, as well as some very well-prepared plates.  Let's start with beer - with drafts, the lightest beer starts at 5% alcohol and goes up to 12%!  I had one of my favorite IPAs (Wipeout) as well as very good red rye pale ale from Founders Brewing Company.   We started off with a mix of East and West coast oysters, and liked the mix.  We also ordered the crudo of the day which was impeccably fresh.  The seared scallops with chickpeas were perfectly cooked, and also ordered some of the best fries around.  Country ribs with broccoli, mushrooms, and pomegranate was another hit, and you can do a half order as well.  Definitely a fun place to go with a group, but the bill can creep up.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/25/2010

    This restaurant gives you what you deserve when you expect high class. From the moment I called to see if we needed a reservation until we left with full tummies I felt like the people here actually enjoyed working there and were happy to serve us.

    We did not have reservations and there were no seats at the bar so we were led to a standing table to enjoy wine and starters, if we ordered them. Almost finished with our wine we had decided to leave when a hostess informed us that we could be seated at a communal table. Yay! We took it.

    The seating was not as strange as it sounds. I expect to see more of this as our city becomes more and more crowded. If you call and reserve you could be seated in a really cool booth that is designed to make you feel like livestock in a pen.
    The plates are shared, we had the Bollito misto (sausage, smoked ham and pork shoulder) and Cauliflower gratin. You know the food is good when Dora and I are a table and we're both quiet. We kept looking at each other and saying, "oh my God!"
    Our server, who looked a bit like Xhibit, helped us decide on the sticky toffee pudding. More moments of us staring at each other and muttering only, "oh my God!"

    Before leaving I had to check out the bathrooms. They are caruoseled around a circular trough style sink supplied with soap and lotion. It was at this lovely sink that I experienced my only negative moment...and not at the fault of the restaurant.
    I watched two men leave their bathrooms and PASS BY THE SINK without washing their hands!!! Dudes!! I see you! EWWWWWW!!!! I guess you do not have to be classy to be served like you are.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/14/2009
    3 check-ins

    What an offal restaurant!

    I just had to get that sweet one liner out before I forgot. In reality, it must be a great restaurant as it was still packed at 10 pm on Tuesday.

    In honor of Ryan L.'s birthday, the lovely Brett D. planned a celebration at The Publican. According to Facebook, Ryan's birthday isn't until February, but I didn't want to hurt Brett's feelings, so I decided to run with it.

    Due to a prior engagement (sorry you suckas didn't get into the Elite event, but you would have gone too), I arrived an hour late, with man date Nikki C. in tow. While there was no way Nikki and I could physically sit anywhere near the table, the hostess kindly offered us the table directly behind the friends. This worked perfectly because I was about 2 feet and 140 degrees away from Erin P., who likes to trade food.

    Oh wait, did I say perfectly? I meant offally (never gets old). Over the course of dinner, we traded some of our fried-egg-topped french fries and pork rinds for pig ear, tripe, and chicken. Nikki and I also romantically shared large plates of sweetbreads and country ribs, some of which we traded for a bite of sorbet. I think we all came out ahead from the barter system.  

    Almost everything was excellent. The pork rinds were unremarkable and I'm sorry, but I just can't get down with tripe, no matter where I'm dining. Anything that looks like a honeycomb, chews like an octopus, tastes like beans, and is a cow's reticulum is just kind of unappetizing to me. The sweetbreads and ribs, however, are must-orders. The fries are amazing too. I think they're cooked in baby dolphin fat or something.

    Overall, I would highly recommend this place for slightly adventurous meat eaters. I can't speak to the fish or veggies, since those seem kind of pointless when you can just eat meat, right?

    I apologize for all the name dropping in this review. If you feel left out and would like me to add your name, I'll figure out a way to squeeze you in, even if you weren't there.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/17/2012
    2 check-ins
    Listed in Chicago Fatassery

    i came here for my second dinner. it's a testament to how awesome publican, both for drinks and food, that i spent mad $$$$ after an already expensive first sushi dinner. we were over 40 minutes early, so we first shared a round robin table with another group that we briefly got to know and toasted before being seated for our actual reservations. love the ambiance, so schoolhouse-rock and the unique enclosed jail-like tables.

    food was tasty too. yum to charcuterie plate, trout, sweetbreads and rilletes as well as the wide variety of beers and house-brewed cider. this makes for a super fun, if costly, night out.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/3/2011

    With 692 reviews on the record, I don't think The Publican needs my confirmation, but, what the hell!

    We were thrilled to give this place a go after a New Year's Eve dinner at Girl and the Goat, and we were all stumped on which meal was better. While the majority of my dinner party decided to give props to The Publican between the two, I was still torn because they were completely different experiences. Frankly, they both win the 5 stars in my book.

    Every bite of food I put in my mouth was divine, but I especially savored the catalan fish stew - my favorite of the evening. The dover sole, which was topped with capers and sweet potato dumplings, was fantastic. I'm not a crazy carnivore, but with several meat dishes in front of me, I admittedly devoured every bite of the country ribs, beef sirloin, and suckling pig in my plate.

    The dessert was also fabulous! We shared all 3 of the options on the menu, leaving no crumbs behind. And while I didn't order any drinks, I tried some of my boyfriend's beer, and whoa! It didn't even taste like beer...YUM. Definitely should have ordered one.

    Overall, a fantastic variety to start off my new year and put off that resolution! TWO THUMBS UP for the Publican.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/8/2010

    Tasty food , great beer selection, and a fun atmosphere--what more could you ask for?
    Like Avec, the publican offers communal seating and seasonal menus.  But, the bonus is their amazing selection of beer and a must have staple is the spicy pork rinds.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/13/2010

    I have mixed feeling about this place. Yes, the food and service is top notch but there's something else going on here...

    It's like we the patrons are part of this joke by restauranteurs to make the experience as close to a situation that we as a society once tried to get away from.  Like communal eating or basic foods such as brussel sprouts and pretzels.  The booth pens, although novel, take it further by making me feel like some sort of animal.

    Pretty sure, in 5 years time, it will be novel to serve our food in happy meal boxes and have everything taste like it was microwaved but yet still cost more than a week of groceries.

  • 1.0 star rating
    2/19/2011

    This has got to be one of the most unpleasant bar/restaurant interiors I have EVER experienced.  Eat a meal under hundreds of fluorescent light globes?  Never.  

    I found the interior so much like a hospital cafeteria that I drank half my beer and walked out.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/27/2010

    Great food! Great price! Great service!

    I personally like their brunch menu more than the dinner menu, but both are excellent. Must try if you havent...

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/19/2012

    Wife and I came here for our anniversary and was not dissapointed!  I made the reservations online and was brought to this common area to grab a drink. The first thing you notice is the communal seating which is much different than to other places I've been to.  The atmosphere here was great with a lot of chatter but very friendly.  I grabbed and beer and was seated.  Our server was very helpful in helping us select a few dishes and a big warning: portions are very small!  

    Here's what we ordered:
    1.) Hamachi Crudo: Fantastic! Thinly sliced pieces of fish with pecans and cucumbers and was great!

    2.) Serrano: Thinly sliced pieces of ham and was great!  Only did the half taste.

    3.) Spicy Pork Rinds: My most favorite part of dinner!  The pork rinds are deep fried fresh and was still hot off the fryer and lightly seasoned cheese on top! AWESOME!

    4.) Black Bass: Very tender and not dry at all.  Good!

    Pros:
    - Amazing atmosphere
    - Attentive service
    - Great food!

    Cons:
    - A bit pricey due to smaller portions

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/15/2009

    PORK & BEER.

    That's what this place is about.  Sitting inside reminds me of sitting in a pig-themed, modern German beer hall.  One large wrap around bench and some side booths.  

    They have tons of different, fine beers to choose from and pork cooked all ways.  If you don't like pork or pig fat then go somewhere else.

    Make sure to bring some aspirin and your doctor friends 'cus you're gonna have a heart attack.

    Oink!

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/24/2010

    Call it a case of funny fate that a guy who is unabashedly proud of his love for pork finally decides to write his first review after visiting a restaurant that reveres the pig.  I came here with a group of friends after a Yelp Chicago event for a late night snack of sorts - my buddy had seen the pork rinds mentioned on The Best Thing I Ever Ate, and suggested we try.  

    I have to stay, after much initial skepticism over the TV hype and the large pig paintings on the walls, I slowly found myself loving the Publican.  From the clean, no non-sense decor (beautiful wood tables and chairs, gorgeous communal bathroom sink, and the best part - doors on the boothes!) to the impressively knowledgeable service staff (the server not only seemed to have a mastery of the menu, but also gave honest and helpful suggestions on food for us Publican virgins) to the excellent food, the people behind Publican seemed to hit all the right chords.  

    We started out our meal, of course, with the fabled pork rinds, and after expecting some fancied-out version of the salty, processed, bagged rinds from my Filipino childhood, I almost had a time-standing-still moment.  These were, in fact, the best pork rinds I've ever eaten: surprisingly light  and flavorful (we were told they were brushed with some amazing jalapeno cheddar cheese), enough so that you forget you're eating, um, pig skin.  

    After that, we all shared an order of the porchetta, which if I remember correctly was a pork tenderloin wrapped in crisp pork belly.  Simply AMAZING - it was perfectly prepared and cooked, with beautiful color and just enough of a strip of fat left on.  I'm actually salivating a little just thinking about it now.  

    As for other things on the menu, it seems like there's quite a selection of meats (centered around pork, of course) and seafood,  and a very impressive beer list which I'm positive I'll explore during my next visit.   I personally love that all of the food comes from nearby Midwestern farms and breweries, and also that the menu decides to give due credit to them.  

    All in all, Publican is a great place - prices were relatively reasonable considering the high level of quality you're getting here.  Come with a group like I did and it's really not so bad per person - it's not cheap-cheap, but I've certainly paid much more for a lesser experience.  The lack of pretension in the atmosphere (though you can see that some of the patrons are actually big rollers) made me feel like this could be a cool alternative date-place, appropriate for both the fancy-fooders and regular football-watching everyday dudes like me.  Well done, guys, I'm glad you're now on my radar...

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/13/2010
    1 check-in
    Listed in Chicago Code

    A group of us went to a beer and cheese tasting at Drinks over Dearborn and the beer experts brought up The Publican as having a great staff that knew their beer. Since the evening was going to be far from over we decided to make our way over there. The DOD staff recommended the pork  rinds since it goes well with beer and the seasoning of it. We ordered that for the table and it was gone very quickly. Gone so quickly that we put in another order and it was gone just as quickly.

      I ordered the boudin blanc which was okay, the sausage was not very flavorful and the golden raisin's sweetness overpowered any there was; the veggies were cooked to deliciousness though. I think the juices were soaked up by the veggies and that's where the flavor came from. The fried shrimp were okay. I found it  weird to eat the shell didn't add to flavor and the extra crispy consistency was troublesome at worst. The bollito misto was also just okay, the sausage was the best out of the three: sausage, turkey and pork shoulder. The turkey though was really tender. We also had the last of the scallops and despite the fancy cooking, scallops are still just scallops, good but nothing of note. The mussels were okay, a little too bitter for my taste but the drippings made it. I am starting to think that I could probably live off of the drippings alone. My sister came late and after waiting around for our waiter to show up after saying the kitchen was closing in 15 minutes (we put the order in 7 minutes before closing) she got the frites with eggs, it was just fries with eggs.

    The chocolate souffle was delicious, the ice cream was smoked but I couldn't' really tell the difference. However, it was still a great choice. I got the waffle with honey butter and blueberry preserves, which is nothing special. It was just a waffle and blueberries

    The beer selection is terrific and if you need help navigating it you can always get the help from the servers who are nice but also strangely condescending; service with a smile but it seems like they're judging you.

    The bathrooms by the way are amazing with a big communal sink and individual rooms that a huge enough on their own. The entire dining experience actually was like eating in a medieval castle or something with the high backed chairs, the long wooden tables and high ceilings with low light. A fun night, with some interesting choices and good beer but some of the food, while inventive was not quite so enjoyable.

  • 3.0 star rating
    7/15/2012

    Last night was my 2nd trip to the Publican. We went a few years ago, right after it opened, and LOVED it. Last night's experience was disappointing.

    A few things were really great: our drinks, the country ribs, the summer squash, the pork belly, the mussels, and the oysters. Food-wise, we were underwhelmed by the pork rinds (the coating was reminded me of bad cheetos), the soft shell crab (way too hard/crispy), and the blood sausage (just didn't like it).

    Our server was friendly and very knowledgeable about the menu, but there were a few missteps. We never received 2 orders that we placed, although they were still on our bill. We didn't say anything to the waiter, because we were sort of waiting for the dishes to arrive. By the time we realized, "Okay, these probably aren't coming," it was the end of the meal. He also didn't bring one of the drinks my husband ordered, but must have just totally forgotten about that because it wasn't on the bill. He gladly removed the missing food items but didn't really apologize - it was a little strange.

    I'm not sure if I'll be back. There are too many other great restaurants in the city to try and I don't really want to risk another disappointing experience.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/18/2010

    It has been awhile since I've written any reviews, but after dining at The Publican I felt like I had no choice.  
    At first glance inside the restaurant, it was packed!!  Packed with happy (at least they appeared to be), well dressed, and down to earth talkative folks.  I absolutely loved the environment!!
    Between 2, we ordered pork rinds (ehhhh), pate (tasted like mushed up spam), sweatbread (EPIC!!!) , salt cod pasta (A-Amazing), oysters (had it cause I wanted something rare), & blood sausage (never again).  Not to forget the wonderfully smooth & earthy Cab that our waiter suggested.  I would say dinner was a success, simply because of the sweetbread and the vino.  =)  
    One word of advice, call for reservations.
    cheerio!

  • 3.0 star rating
    6/10/2012
    1 check-in

    I have mixed feelings about The Publican's menu: some things taste great, while others are just pretentious tiny dishes (which couldn't possibly be shared). There's a decent beer selection though.

    Overall, I think there are significantly better places out there in the same price range.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/5/2012

    Want their brunch - ate their dinner. Dinner was great - service was not good. Beers were slow to come while the drinks of the party of goofy nerds next to us came quickly. Waitress actually dropped the fuck word at some point because I'm guessing she was comfortable enough around us to treat us like worthless buddies instead of customers. The summer camp picnic table set up is not my thing for dinner - but I think it would be really fun for brunch. We tried the hamachi collar (best), beef tongue, and the fish stew to name a few. Delicious seafood. I stole their pen.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 4.0 star rating
    12/13/2009

    Sure, we all know the food is great. What you don't know though...Publican has some awesome bathrooms.

    Now you may think this sounds strange, but a good restaurant bathroom can certainly be cause for celebration. After drinking tons of coffee at brunch (they are fabulous with the refills on the Intelligentsia) a girl's gotta go! Just past the hostess stand there is a bathroom alcove with 3 individual rooms for the ladies and 2 for the men. Of course there are sinks in the loo but why not come into the center of the bathroom hub and wash your hands in possibly the coolest ever washing receptacle/fountain extraordinaire! Bonus they have yummy smelling C.O. Bigelow hand wash AND lotion. Wow, who can compete?

    Of course the food is fantastic, but would you expect anything else? I was actually a fan of the communal dining table and enjoyed its intimate dining nature. How is it that you're sitting with a bunch of strangers but you feel much more focused on your dining companion? In any case, it also allowed me to focus on the food...and who wouldn't want to?!

    Thank you Time Out for recommended the ricotta with hazelnuts and stewed prunes (they looked like cherries to me but I'll go with the experts) it was a divine start to the meal! The menu changes frequently (so sad no foie gras pancakes) and I was so happy with my smoked trout dish...it was light but still filling enough that I had to take home leftovers.

    Check out The Publican (of course - look at all the other reviews that sing the praises of this place!) but don't forget to check out the loo too :)

  • 3.0 star rating
    12/4/2011 Updated review

    Gave this place another shot for brunch. Made a reservation so no wait. Decent Bloody Mary's. Publican bacon was amazing. I could have eaten 2 orders(and then dropped dead). I opted for the Maple-Glazed Pork Shoulder that was OK. The egg on it was over cooked and the polenta that came with it was like prison grits. The wife had the duck confit hash which was very bland. And for $16 an entree throw in some toast or something. I was still very hungry at the end of the meal. All-in-all, not a $57 brunch. 2.5 starts again!

    3.0 star rating
    9/11/2009 Previous review
    2. 5 Stars. After hearing all the hype about this place, we had to check it out with some friends.… Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    10/26/2010

    Publican is the quintessential new-age Chicago eatery. Coming from Portland I've learned to take a what-the-heck approach to dining out. You may not know much about the place or even be able to decipher the menu but that just doesn't matter.

    Its family style so what you order everyone eats. It comes in courses so its a fantastic place to go with friends, have fun, chat, etc. The trout was amazing, Octopus was *not* what I expected and equally amazing as well. The waffle for dessert is to die for.

    And I can't write a review without echoing other sentiments: GET THE FRIGGIN' PORK RINDS. Yes, that good.

    I'll recommend it, I'll go back when I'm in Chicago and I certainly won't forget that dinner at the Publican. (Shout out to Melissa for the recommendation).

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/25/2010

    Along with the Yelp reviews and personal recommendations, I had to go to experience the hype.

    My personal highlights:

    1) Beer, beer, and beer

    The server actually had great suggestions based on mainstream beers I liked.  My Swedish Guinness was damn good.

    2) Pork Rinds

    Great munchie especially since it's pretty light tasting considering how they cooked it.

    3) Mussels

    Even my shellfish-hatin' wife tried two.

    4) Ambiance

    The vibe was awesome.  Great for a date since the night I went wasn't that loud even though it was 3/4 full.   Go in big groups though.  You get to sample a ton more.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/3/2010

    Ok.  So you want to know how to get any easy 5-stars from Aaron?  Surprise him with a giant pile of prosciutto.  

    I went here for brunch with a friend the past weekend.  We showed up rather later (around 1) and they were out of both of the top choices.  The waitress was nice enough to talk me into the red wine poached eggs with country ham (see the above prosciutto) and my friend into the Pork confit hash.  Both of us were pleasantly surprised by dishes full of flavors rich and robust enough to stand up well against the Bloody Marys.  

    Speaking of the Bloody Marys, whose idea was it to serve it with a beer-back?  I'm not sure, but all I could say was "Brilliant!!"  The beer serves as a nice palate cleanser and a welcome rinse from the Bloody Mary.  The Bloody Mary itself is a bit thick (like a liquid salad) but very nicely spiced.  While I do think the 7-times distilled vodka is overkill for such a drink, I am not going to complain.

    This is a definite place for many returns.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/7/2010

    The holy trinity of food: oysters, pig, and beer! I could write about it all day but given the multitude of food-focused reviews already in existence, I'll write about something different. I'll focus on coming here on a date vs. coming here with a group.

    On a date:

    I came here for second date on a Friday night, 8 PM. We were looking for good food and good beer. We made reservations last minute but the hostess still seated us at a private two-person table at the front of the house. I was either remarkably lucky (the house was full) or batting my eyelashes worked. Probably the former given my ugly mug.

    It's a good place for a date. The noise and the proximity of other diners doesn't lend to great private conversation but you can still hear the other person. Also, the menu (both food and beer) is so extensive, you'll always have something to talk about. It's also fun going through each item with your date and finding out what he/she likes.

    Lastly, the bathrooms are off in the corner about 30 feet from the main dining room, so if you're having a horrible time, you can always dial up your friends and give them a status update or plan an escape if need be... not that I've done this before :)

    In a group:

    I dragged fourteen of my friends to the Publican. Do not do this last minute! PLAN AHEAD! I called a month ahead for reservations and, even then, I had to negotiate the time we could come in. We were seated at the long, central communal table. I thought it would be awkward sitting next to strangers but our group had no problem siphoning off into its own conversational huddle.

    Even with fourteen people, orders came out quickly and the server still asked each person about their preferences and helped customize the menu for everyone.

    For a date or in a group, this is a great dining experience. Farm or sea fresh food prepared in delicious ways, consistently.

    Highly recommended.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/8/2013

    The Publican completed my tour of Paul Kahan's restaurants, and like the others, didn't disappoint in the least. I still prefer Avec in the same price range, but had a great meal here. Plates range in size and price, this is what we got for 4 people (and it was too much food).  
    The Good:
    -Oyster selection: even if Chicago isn't the freshest place to get oysters
    -Taste of 3 hams: an obvious choice for this shrine to pork, but the bread that comes with is not great
    -Chicken liver pate: flavorful, creamy pate with cherries and toasted brioche
    -Chicken and frites: a touch too salty, but possibly the best chicken I've ever had, and the fries are crisp and very flavorful as well
    -Market slaw: just a few bites of market veggies in buttermilk dressing for each of us
    -Salad with pig ear: the crispy pig ear gives the perfect crunch
    -The tap: best beer selection of any Kahan restaurant
    -The décor: never disappoints at a Kahan restaurant. I love the Beowulf-style mead hall design with large communal tables and high-backed wooden chairs, as well as other nice touches

    Not so good:
    -The octopus, surprisingly, which is very good at Avec. This was just waaaaaay too salty, and had no other flavor to compensate for the salt.
    -You'll need to cut down on the sodium for a few days after visiting this place

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/14/2009

    Oh my God. I've been wanting to go to Publican since it opened; nay, even before it opened. I had heard all of the superlatives about the beer list, the pork-related foodstuffs, the trendy dining experience and all that. But mostly I had heard about the beer list. And the pork rinds.

    So a dozen of us trucked on over there for our 11pm(!) reservation last night, and let me tell you, we were not disappointed. They told us that they were waiting for our table to clear out, and offered to take our coats and start us with a drink at the bar. Excellent, friendly service. Everyone got something different and they came quickly and efficiently. I was an idiot and went cheap with a Gumballhead, but later went back for a kriek lambic that was out of this world. Several folks in our party also downed the French cider that was on top, which was to die for.

    After about 15 minutes, when it became clear that the party hogging our table was taking their good sweet time, they came over with some complimentary pork rinds and fries. DEAR GOD. I am not one for raving about things that are so simple, but the pork rinds really were as amazing as advertised. Light, airy, spicy, and crispy. The fries, fried up in duck fat, were smoky and delicious. I could've eaten a few orders of them.

    We went a little overboard with the food (not that there is such a thing?). We tried a wide swath of the menu, including some oysters, the fish stew, the ham plate, the country rib, sweetbreads, the apple salad, and the half chicken. All were great. The oysters were extremely, just-pulled-out-of-the-ocean fresh. Our table's oyster aficionados were very impressed and gobbled them down quickly. I had never had sweetbreads before, but I knew that I wanted them long ago, and I was impressed. Very lightly breaded and had a great texture to them. The country rib was another standout; so many rich complementary flavors and they melted in your mouth.

    We got one order of each dessert item and the waffle was the clear favorite, with its light, crispy texture and generous dollop of honey butter. The apple cider doughnuts were also great, but the sour cream ice cream they came with outshined them.

    This place was amazing, and totally worth the hype. I dreamed of pork rinds last night and have now given three people an extensive, detailed rundown of my dining experience punctuated with a lot of "oh my God!"s and "AMAZING"s. Get thee to Publican.

  • 2.0 star rating
    5/6/2012

    I wanted to love this place, and maybe my expectations were just too high. But my dinner DEFINITELY didn't live up to the hype.

    Pros:
    Scallops
    Asparagus
    Chicken (but how can you really mess up roast chicken?)
    Chocolate cream pie with pretzel crust- AMAZING. Best part of the meal
    Aged ham platter- but we asked for more bread/butter and it was never brought out

    Cons:
    Broccoli- very weird tasting... served with bitter greens of some sort
    Soft-shelled crab
    Pork rinds

    Service was okay... loved the communal seating and the decor. Don't think I would recommend this place though. The only awesome part of the meal worth going back for was the dessert!

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/28/2011

    Really awesome brunch, even though some of the descriptions seemed a bit daunting.  One of the best Bloody Mary's i have had in the city, excluding the excellent one from Feast.

    Very chill staff and clientele, cool interior (you kind of feel like you are on a farm).  We showed up on Sunday and forgot to make a reservation and were seated in 15 minutes - just enough time to order a drink.  Cannot wait to go back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/4/2012

    Great atmosphere and great food. Many of the items I had to ask the waiter to suggest because I'm from out of town and certainly not a foodie. I enjoyed every single thing. I loved the specialty beers as well.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/6/2012

    One of my favorite spots in Chicago.  Level of service varies-I have had amazing service and spotty service.  The vibe here is fun, casual, and  maybe a bit hipster chic.    The menu is extensive and truly unique, with lots of stand bys.  I enjoy the communal seating, however, the chairs are uncomfortable.  It is extremely loud, but we keep going back for the amazing food.  Bread is available upon request, make sure you request it.  The desserts are divine.  The roast chicken is the absolute best!

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/18/2009
    Listed in 5 Star

    Brian Huston's menu was full of eclectic, original dishes...none of them disappointing. The Publican has a knack for flavor combinations: braised short ribs served with brown butter vinaigrette - perfectly cooked with a wonderfully sweet finish. The smoked trout was moist and flaky, and served over country style potatoes, topped with pickled green beans & fried egg. Phenomenal tastes.

    The beer list was equally impressive. Serving Belgian Micro's and Whit's, Germanic Weiss & Helles, American Micro's & IPA's, there's no shortage of good suds. The beer selection complements the menu, making for a harmonious and intoxicating food and drink experience.

    The European beer hall theme was refreshingly different, simultaneously rich and rugged. The only downside to the experience: the place was slammed and a few decibels too loud. Our waitress was a bit verbose when it came to her beer and whiskey commentary, but at least she erred on the right side of the knowledge equation. Also notable, the dishes came out as they were finished and shared by the table - a kind of tapas-like experience - creating a pleasantly intimate evening.

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/14/2010

    Calling beautiful people, a bit trendy or I could see Ina Garten from Barefoot Contessa here. I did like the decor and vibe. This is what I imagine the Hampton's to be like and this is located in an unlikely spot. Cool Stars for me.
    Arrived on a Sunday around 11am..didn't seem too crowded and a lot of empty tables that's why I was so confused that we had to wait over 45 minutes, but I soon did realize this is a popular joint and the tables were being held for reservations already made. Fair, next time reservations is a must and suggested and still a 45 minutes isn't bad for brunch.
    After being seated and sort of family style seating...long table that can hold up to 30 people or so. So you better feel comfortable bumping elbows with a stranger. Still ok with me, the reason for 3 stars is the service. SLOW!!!!

    She did start us off with some Cinnamon bread and scones but since the service was so slow we all filled up on that and coffee.

    I was served the " Scapple with fried egg & sourdough". It was served with pork belly and very good, especially at only $10.00. I had ordered a few side items for my son and it was annoying that she served 3 of the 6 guest and then brought my 2 year olds sausage out last. Really, his order by no means was gourmet, I think she just forgot.
    I just think servers should bring all food out at once or at least within 1 to 2 minutes of each other...they weren't slammed, but just a little in their own world. - So that could be improved. Negative star for me.

    I may be back for a 2nd chance at better service and I will come kid free. It's more of an adult brunch spot.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/5/2012

    The food here is so good!!! Our waitress was a bit of an airhead and barely paid any attention to us, so that was annoying, but the food more than made up for it.  Between 4 people we split the chef's choice oysters, the pork rinds, the asparagus, the 2 tastes of ham, the fried perch, and the half chicken.  We were full to the brim!!  None of us had drinks and our bill was $103!  The fried perch was easily my favorite dish, but everything else was also really tasty.  Make a reservation, request a booth if you don't like community tables and go here, it's great!!

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/30/2010

    I saw Ross from Friends here when I came last year.  Enough said.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/6/2013

    We had a 10pm reservation because we were coming straight from the theatre and the kitchen didn't close until 10:30, but we felt compelled to order a bazillion things from the menu:  chef's selection of oysters, serano plate with goat butter, fried clams, beets, brussels sprouts, suckling pig, sardines, dungeness crab, smoked arctic char (yum!), cauliflower, fries with sunny eggs on top, and at dessert, we couldn't decide between the bread pudding and the sundae, so we chose the bread pudding and the waitress, God bless her, sent out BOTH with her compliments!  Of course, we bought the kitchen a six pack (it's actually a menu option) for keeping them late.  EVERYTHING was perfect and delicious.  Our server  (Maria?) was upbeat and pleasant even though it was the end of her shift and she was also VERY helpful in our selections of food as well as beer and wine.  My only disappointment was no wine glasses.  I get the concept and style, but a $27/glass pinot noir should not be served in a tumbler, and neither should a $17/glass bubbly.  But the food and service were top notch!!!  Kudos!!!  Thank you for a fun, fantastic meal!!!  I love the family style/all sharing way of serving and the servers keep on top of bring fresh plates and silverware.  My dining companions were friends I hadn't seen in years, so it was nice to be able to enjoy their company and catch up in such a fun setting.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/17/2011
    1 check-in

    Our party of three was seated at the long tables, set up through the large open space of The Publican. In addition, there are private booths along the sides. The long tables make for a very friendly and community environment and the chance to be very friendly with other parties seated on either side, offering visual ordering cues.

    The Publican promotes a "family style" of eating, ordering the rather large, ample and very tasty dishes to be shared on a mixed collection of small plates, very cool!

    For an appetizer, we chose the mussels, served with a baguette. Dinner was the half roasted chicken, fried potatoes with a side veggie of shredded brussel sprouts and cheese.

    Don't miss the waffle dessert!

    We got lucky with street parking but your can always valet your car.

    I have been raving to friends about our wonderful dinner at The Publican and I will be back for more!

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/12/2010

    Communal table and monastery style chairs bordered the 84 globe pendants in the center of the restaurant. We did not opt for the raw bar because we just came from Boston with its lobsters. The fish du jour ahi tuna sashimi was fresh and delightful. The meat department was adventurous with veal's brain, sweetbread, pork rillette, whole farm chicken as well as, of course, rib eye steak but we went for the fish and vegetables.
    Baby turnips were nicely prepared and we had two orders; mushrooms with artichokes sprinkled with breadcrumbs were a little heavy on the white wine; roasted squash was amazing although I did not know whatever the seasoning was. We shared the plentiful Loup de mer, baked whole fish, but indeed the eyeballs belonged to me.
    Unfortunately we were not in for the beer because its draught selection was very extensive. We however loved the pig's prints on the wall.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/31/2010

    Very tasty indeed! It is hardly worth describing what I ate, because there is little chance that it will be on the menu when you get there, as they rotate it almost daily. The fact that they source from specialty and local farms really comes through in the flavors, which is nice. Its like eating a tomato or cucumber in a second country village that has been around for a couple hundred years.

    The service was great, and my cousin and I walked out of there spending only $55 each, were completely full, and a little buzzed. Great decor as well. Definitely one of my happiest dining experiences in Chicago so far.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/13/2010
    1 check-in

    We had the fortune of living 4 blocks from Incanto in SF.  After a personal recommendation from its head chef and Food TV host Chris Cosentino, we quickly added The Publican to our list of Chicago must-sees.

    First, the decor of this place reminds me of a mix between old church pews, a cattle yard and a beer garden.  Very minimal, a perfect setting for indulging in meat.  Sweet, delicious meat.

    We enjoyed a platter of high-end cured hams, a salmon salad and a sausage, smoked turkey and pork stew.  The beer selection was as amazing as the menu; if you can't find a beer you like here, you obviously don't like beer.

    Thanks Chris for the heads up.  Publican rocks!  I love when chefs do wonderful and unexpected things with meats.

    PS - Our friends were hesitant to come here due to the price and the rumors of a pork-dominated menu.  Both are untrue.  You can easily eat here for $40-50 for two people, and the seafood side of the menu is just as impressive.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/26/2012

    By far one of the best brunch places in Chicago.  Located around the West Loop area, just a couple blocks from the Grand red line stop (which was convenient for me), my friends and I went this past Sunday. Everything I tasted was top notch.  The bacon is to die for, the waffle was the best I'd  had in 25 years, and the drinks...yummy and inexpensive.  Also, the customer service was excellent; always keeping our drinks full and our table clean and clutter free.  I highly recommend this place to anyone who loves brunch, friends, and a hearty atmosphere.

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/9/2011

    I was so looking forward to this dining experience, based on the reviews, but left feeling let down.  The place was packed for a Monday night and we were delighted when the hostess informed us that a table was available.  However, I was sorely disappointed.  My husband had to sit next to the door that was open to the outdoor seating area and it was chilly out.  There were other tables available, but they did not seat us there.

    The waiter came to our table and did a very quick run through of the menu and then walked away before we could ask any questions.  Luckily, I had done some "research" on yelp (as usual), and we ordered the pork rinds, charcuterie plate (half), pork belly, and sweetbreads.  Word of warning: if you don't like vinegar, watch out!  I really enjoyed the pork belly- that was my husband's favorite.  My favorite dish of the night was the sweetbreads- which my husband stopped eating because he couldn't stop thinking about what he was eating- lol.  

    However, after these dishes we were still hungry and I wasn't sure what else to order since we ate everything I read about, so we asked the waiter for his recommendation.  He suggested the steak tartar.  We went with it.  We've had steak tartar before... and were caught off guard this time because it was pretty cold (temperature-wise).  I think we both lost our appetites there.

    We were in the mood for something sweet and asked for the dessert menu and the waiter brought us two pieces of paper that were cut from the actual menu, where the dessert menu was printed on the back of it and upside down.  We looked at each other and just said, "seriously?"

    Now that I've arrived home and I see people review The Publican from the VERY SAME night and are talking about dishes that we didn't see on the menu, I'm pretty upset.  I don't know if those were specials and our waiter didn't do his job of telling us about them.  He was so attentive to every table except for ours.  

    If it weren't for yelp's recommendations for what to order, the entire experience would have been ruined.  Don't know if I'll be back right away- but I'm a big believer in second chances, especially if I get a different waiter.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/25/2010

    My experience at publican was amazing! from the awesome beer list to the fresh seafood I really have no complaints.
    Our server was amazing and attentive and we even got a complimentary dessert :) it was chocolate... they own my heart..
    The booths with the little private gates were a cute touch.. I felt like I was alone in my own seafood filled private paradise....
    We had
    beers (Duh)
    chef's selection of oysters
    Mussels
    and possibly the best scallops ever....
    swoon!!!
    I can't wait to go back for the seafood tower ;)

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/29/2010

    Your enjoyment of dining at The Publican will be similar to that of living in an apartment complex: it largely depends on whether or not your neighbors listen to techno music. In some ways, this place is like a more authentic Medieval Times. Everyone sits at one large wooden table, without even the illusion of personal space. Be prepared to sit very close to people you don't know, and perhaps think of interesting anecdotes beforehand so that you're conversations are way more interesting than those had next to you.  Fortunately, my employment as a cowboy rodeo astronaut leaves me with many interesting tales.

    As others have noted, the service is slow, as there seemed to be about one server for every thirty-person table. Ours was very friendly, but he did make me feel like I was dining at TGI Friday's with comments as "Are we cool guys? Everything cool? Hey, bro, how's that salad? Is it cool?" (Note: It was cool.) "Aw, man, you totally destroyed that dessert!" (Note: we did destroy it.)

    We had the country style ribs and they were tasty, but nowhere near as amazing as The Publican's sister restaurants, Blackbird and Avec. However, the old-style pub setting is a fun concept and it was nice to try. I wouldn't go back, but I can definitely raise a pint glass and a chomp a pig's leg in support of Medieval Times. I mean, The Publican.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/10/2010

    These people know pork and beer. What the hell else do you want?!?

    The lady brought me here for my birthday this year after I had been not-so-subtlety hinting that I wanted to try it. The atmosphere is like an upscale farmhouse, complete with giant pig paintings on the walls.

    Before I got there I didn't look at the menu because I didn't want to get my heart set on any one thing before hearing the specials. I forget our waiter's name, but he was a baller! Not only did he know the portion sizes and flavors of everything on the menu, but he recommended specific beers for me based on my beer experience level, pallet and what we chose to eat. His selections were perfect. We ended up choosing some sort of sashimi for an appetizer, pork belly, broccoli, and something else (I forget, sorry!).  One thing to note on the broccoli, and other sides, is that they're probably more than what they seem. IE - the broccoli came with a poached egg and an anchovie. Read the menu carefully.

    As for my beers, I had 2 belgians trapist beers that were both over 10% ABV but were still great. The lady had 2 crafts from the states.

    Takeaways:
    - A little small on the portion sizes for a "Pork & Beer" place
    - The food tasts amazing anyway
    - Let your server pick your beer. They're all certified: chicago.metromix.com/bar…

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/24/2012

    First Impression- The word Pubican having the word "public" in it fits the theme of the restaurant.  The main seating area has communal tables, and the booths are interestingly cozy and more private.  The communal theme is carried out into the washroom area where men and women use the same sink (don't worry- the stalls are private).  The ambiance is warm with the wood grain furnishings, yellow walls, globe light fixtures, and oversized and beautiful pig paintings.  

    Wait staff- Very personable, friendly, and honest.  They let you choose without pushing a particular dish on you.  My waitress informed us that the plates are usually perfect for sharing, however, the brunch menu is more of a personal plate set-up.  Sharing.... Public.... Communal...

    Libations- I ordered a special drink they had that day called a Pub Radler.  It is a delicious and refreshing summery drink with lemonade, ginger ale, bourbon, and lager.  The Mrs. had a Publican Mimosa with citrusy light ale instead of champaign.  Both were inspired creations and perfect on a hot summer day in Chicago.  

    Menu- Although I got a glimpse of the main menu, I was using the Saturday brunch menu that included items from soft shell crab to pork schnitzel to scrambled eggs.  Good variety without having too many options.  Raw oysters seem to be one of their specialties, however, I did not try it.  I had the pork schnitzel, and others in my party got soft shell crab, thick cut bacon, egg foccacia, and raspberry butter cake.  We also had sides of spicy pork rinds and hash brown potatoes.  All of the items I sampled were excellent, and I would order them again.  The bacon.... sweet maple, smokey, salty, sweet, yummy fatty delicious BACON is probably the best bacon I have ever had.  Looking at the menu, signage, and ambiance, pork does seem to be their specialty.  

    After the meal- we shared a 32oz coffee press for us four (a stretch for four people... I think an additional 16 oz would have filled us up a bit more).  The regular roast is advertised in the menu as their own, while the decaf option is by Intelligensia (we did not try decaf).  The house roast from the press was rich and creamy without being too bold.  To accompany our coffee we ordered two plates of banana bread, which was perfect as each plate had two slices.  The bread was more dense then I am used to, but the dish was jazzed up with mint leaves and raspberries.  

    This restaurant is the perfect place for me to get out of my comfort zone and try dishes I have only seen on foodie TV shows but never tried for myself.  They also have familiar comfort food options.    I am glad I do not live near this restaurant.  I would always "pig" out.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/23/2012

    Stopped in for a light meal and beer before a party.

    One of the best salads I've ever had. The flavors of the different components in the market salad were perfectly paired. No soggy greens, just a perfectly dressed salad.

    The server really helped us navigate the oyster selection and cheese menu. You could tell she had tried and understood everything she was describing, which I greatly appreciate.

    Definitely want to go back for a proper meal!

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/4/2012

    Sunday brunch at the Publican is a fantastic culinary experience that everyone should partake in at least once in their life. I know I'm just jumping on the band wagon here but wanted to write my own shout outs to the corn/grits/kale (BRAISED KALE FOR THE WIN) combination to the pork shoulder, the bacon (yum) and the waffle which is so unbelievably light and fluffy...they should name clouds after it. The wait staff was attentive, the environs of the  restaurant very harking back to the meat market days of Chicago and since we were four, the booth we sat in with the doors (which in retrospect may be like holding pens for not yet killed animals but whatever) all contributed all in all to an unforgettable brunch.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/3/2012 Updated review

    After many more dinners and brunches here, still lovin' it!

    5.0 star rating
    9/12/2010 Previous review
    My favorite of all of Paul Kahan's places. Great food, beer, atmosphere. Sometimes the servers can… Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    8/10/2009

    Don't bring your vegetarian friends here.
    Don't bring your vegan friends here.

    And if you can't handle eating pigs and shellfish (and regular fish), and a whole lot of Belgian beers, you probably shouldn't be here either.

    My friend and I went a few weeks ago, and were really really early for our dinner reservation - so we hung out in the bar area. And by bar area, I mean waist-high tables where super knowledgeable waitresses will come along to tempt you with eleventy billion kinds of beers you can't pronounce and small plates of food.

    We were eventually seated at a giant communal table.

    (Ladies, a tip: The chairs have a shelf under them. Put your purse on the shelf. Not on the table. And don't look annoyed and put out when someone sits next to you and you have to move your purse. Because I will judge the crap out of you because you are probably a bitch.)

    And here's what we ate - and yes, I did eat ALL of this, not all by myself, but it was a LOT of food:

    Pork Rinds -
    BETTER THAN EVERYTHING. EVER. Savory little fried puffs of fat and flavor and AMAZING. I seriously want these delivered to my office, daily. And maybe fed to me by a cabana boy, while another cabana boy fans me with a leaf or something while I lounge on a hammock. Can that be arranged? Any volunteers?

    Plate of Three Hams -
    This probably has a different name on the menu, but it's a plate of three hams. Three very different hams and they're sliced paper-thin and are SO delicious and full of flavor that they almost melt in your mouth. Which is weird, because it's meat. And meat isn't exactly a "melty" food. In any case, it's AWESOME.

    White Boudin -
    I'd had a boudin a few weeks prior at Avec and was kind of "meh" about it. The boudin here KICKS THE ASS of the boudin at Avec. And it comes with this awesome blueberry mustard and is amazing. Great texture. Great flavor. WAY better than the boudin at Avec.

    Sea Bass -
    We were going to order soft shell crab, but they were out. FORTUNATELY, my friend recommended this dish to me, which was very lightly poached (I think?) and served with this great sauce and these great veggies that neither my friend nor I have been able to pinpoint. But it was a great meaty flavor and was very simple and very well cooked.

    Belgian Waffle -
    As far as I'm concerned - waffles are for breakfast. But the waffle I had here, could totally make me a believer in waffles for dessert. Savory, sweet, with fruit (blackberries) and this sweet butter that went with it - it was a nice cap on things without being "too much".

    Other dessert -
    Oh my god I cannot, for the life of me, remember what this thing was called but it was like a custard with some raspberry involved and it was VERY rich and VERY delicious and it IS NOT on the website right now so I can't even look it up to tell you.

    The moral of the story here is that everything is delicious, local (mostly), and fairly priced.

    And don't bring your vegan friends.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/29/2011

    I went to The Publican because of a nice review in Chicago Magazine. It was listed as a top Sunday Brunch restaurant. We had the eggs and bone marrow, eggs and duck, and pork shoulder, sticky buns and bacon. All were the best versions of those foods I ever tasted. I was like "Nom Nom Nom" and "this is really good" and "Mmm"! It was really good. Our waitress was super hot and service was excellent. I found nothing wrong with this place, which is upsetting, because I like to bitch and moan a lot. This is my first 5 star rating.

  • 2.0 star rating
    4/29/2011

    4, 3 and 1 - Visited this place 3 times and i would rate them on a downwards scale and ending on 2...

    First time i absolutely loved the atmosphere, the food, the beer selection and the entire experience.

    Second time was new years eve. The food was a set menu which was not good at all. The entire staff seemed like they would rather be somewhere else (which i dont blame them for, but...).

    And then 3'rd (and last time) i was there was BAD! One of many thing that went wrong: We got served some sausages (as part of a dish) and it was frozen inside. When we told them they took the sausages out and brought them (The exact same 3 cut up sausages) back after 10 seconds of frying. At the end we just asked to take out the food and asked for the check - they newer came with the check but instead tried to make up for the mistakes with free desserts! For a restaurant to make up for bad food with more food is SO bad - and instead we had to wait an additional 45 minutes for the check!

    Anyway - love Avec, Blackbird and so many good restaurants in the neighborhood that i really dont see any reason to eat there again!

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/18/2012

    One of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. GREAT food. The farmhouse chicken is absolutely juicy and delicious. Their mussels are amazing. The variety of the oysters are fantastic! If you have room for dessert try the waffle and coffee!

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/18/2012

    This place definitely deserves a 5 star rating. The food is amazing, the service is perfect, and the focus is on the food. Everything is prepared with attention to the smallest details, the portions are perfect.  Overall an amazing experience!!  I must come back soon!!

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/20/2010

    Hands down, I would come back here JUST for the mussels.  They were practically the size of golf balls and packed more flavor than William Jonathan Drayton Jr.  I would have slurped the buttery broth if I could only have lifted the pot off the table.  Thank god for crusty bread.

    The flavors at this place are incredible.  There wasn't one bad dish.  I would definitely recommend the mussels (worth reiterating), oysters, frites, beet salad and if you're lucky, they'll have carmel and sour cream homemade ice cream to top off your waffle.  Yes, breakfast for dessert.  Can I get an amen?

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/23/2011

    I think I misordered but I would definitely go back. I loved the look and feel of the restaurant. What place do you go where the waiter personally goes through the menu with you? Not many places. Our service was exceptional. Our duck prosciutto was fantastic but our half a whole chicken and frites was just "good enough". I loved the wine and the bathrooms has c.g. bigelow soap/lotions products. nice touch.

    I heard they have brunch and a ever-changing menu. I will be back. :)

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/30/2012

    puerco.

    i love it.

    went here for brunch one day on recommendation of many people and let me tell ya - we were not disappointed!! the staff is so friendly, the coffee is delicious, and i just can't stop dreaming of the

    maple.bacon.  

    WOW!!!! i was literally dreaming of it until the next time we went back.  the bloodymarys there are quite delicious as well!  

    as for food, the wine poached eggs are great as is the lamb dish! i'm not usually a lamb fan but it was really tasty there!

    i want one of the pig paintings for my apartments.  i love htis place. i can't wait to go back for dinner.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/12/2009

    We wound up here for an early dinner a bit by chance.  Some friends had locked themselves out of their car, missed a play, and we were nearby so they invited us out for drinks.  

    There were so many awesome things about the Publican.  I loved that the booths had doors so you felt a little more like you were in a private room with your friends.  I think it was supposed to mirror a pig pen, but it was a really fun touch.

    Everyone tried a number of different beers, including a thick coffee brew that was odd and delicious.  Our friends had ordered a flight of prosciutto before we arrived so we started with a little taste of that.  As foodies, they went on to order sweet breads and other things I'd never tasted.  All of it was good.  I got a pasta dish that had squid ink pasta (black pasta - fun!) and prawns - very tasty.  My husband ordered a cheese tray that as delicious too.  And for dessert we had fancy waffles - I think I remember there being duck involved.  Food coma city.  Our waitress was a total doll too.

    I would recommend going early.  We didn't have to wait for a table, but by the time we left the place was PACKED.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/19/2011

    The Absolute best Sunday Brunch in chicago
    Just amazing food and great staff.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 4.0 star rating
    8/3/2010
    1 check-in

    Dinner tonight with a business associate.....very impressed with the setting...not completely 'sure' about the communal tables...fortunately we were 'at the end' and could position our coats and briefcases to give a little space.

    Great beer menu....good selection altho a little light, for me, on USA craft beers...not to be overly trendy, but that is were the action is these days.  On the other hand, the ones chosen were good stuff....Two Brothers; Three Floyds; etc...well done there.

    Ah yes, the food.....no problem with the quality....all of the treatments were very well done...the corns and the beets...ah, the beets...were excellent...and local...names cited for where the beets and all veggies, and, for that matter, all the foods came from.  Good to see Nichols Farm in Marengo represented.

    The tapas concept was good, no excellent...but I felt a little cheated by the quantities....we spend more or less $150 including tip, and okay we had 5 beers between us (but none of the $25 Belgiums) and I am a little hungry 3 hrs later....

    but...but....all in all, both of agreed it was a great experience and will be back with our wives...

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/6/2010

    To start from the beginning, our reservation of two was slowly and incrementally expanded to a reservation of four -- by our request -- without hesitation from the staff. And, after an afternoon of drinking and losing all ability to tell time, we were promptly seated after showing up for our ever-dynamic reservation over a half-an-hour early.

    After we were corraled into our seats (our table was a wooden pig-pen type dinning situation in which wooden gates kept us from wandering about), we were told that we were lucky enough to be here on a day when there was a fixed, two-brothers-brewing-co inspired menu and beer pairings. We were also apparently lucky enough to have chosen a day when our bill would ultimately surpass $100 per person, including the beer pairing and tip.

    The first dish was a cured ham. As I'm not an expert in all things fancy, I'll just hope someone else on yelp can better document the dish's title, it was explained to me that this was a pig only bred in a certain part of the world, and was thus, very, very fancy. It was a thinly cut slice of 'ham' from a type of 'pig' i'd never heard of before that was so delicious ... I started to question it's origin, and started to get worried about the 'real' reason they were locking us in gates and filling us with beer & food and emptying our wallets. But, the more I thought about it, the more I realized I didn't even care, this wouldn't be a bad way to go.

    The decor was both modern and rustic, minimilistic and quaint. Plus, eating family style on mis-matched antique china was an endearing touch. I would like to try it again soon, at a day when I'm not forced into a menu and a bill that might not have been up my alley, but you could easily tell that the menu and pairings were a long time in the making, and I wound up getting lucky ... in the end.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/1/2010 Updated review
    1 check-in

    Meat Feast

    Went with a party of 7 last night....had a 9pm rezzie....didn't get seated until almost 9:30 but we were totally okay with just hanging out eating our crispy fatty cheesy delicious pork rinds and charcuterie plates and drinking our beers and wines.....Max our server in the bar was fantastic and on top of everything.....2 big thumbs up to Max!

    We were seated at one of the long communal tables and preceded to order half of the menu.....no seriously.....this is what I can remember....

    Chef's Selection of a Dozen Oysters: Nice, fresh with crisp flavors.....if you're an oyster fan you won't be disappointed

    Mussels: Love these....the broth is killer!

    Scallops: Perfectly seared.....warm and flavorful

    Chicory Salad: Interesting and I didn't think I liked it at first....the chicory is slightly bitter but totally works with the other ingredients

    Endive Salad: Persimmons made it too sweet for me.....everyone else liked it though

    Smoked Tuna: I didn't order this so I don't know exactly what the description was....but it was basically smoked tuna with some lettuce....and it was great as a share....I would not want the whole dish to myself.

    Calf's Brain: Must order!! Seriously fantastic.....crispy on the outside....creamy on the inside

    Wagyu Sirloin: Ah-ma-zing!!!

    Bollito Misto: I couldn't even try this I was so full by the time it came.....but the boys gobbled it up....like a meat stew....looked hearty.

    Fish of the day: Don't ask me what it was....but whatever it was....it was delicious

    Whole Farm Chicken: One of my favs......absolutely yum and yum! It comes with fries that are all joozy with the chicken juice.....perfection!

    Frites with Egg: I didn't even touch these as I was totally in love with my joozy chicken frites.....

    Pickled Vegetables: Delish.....spicy and vinegary all at the same time....perf for snacking

    Most of use were too full for dessert....but we did try one.....and omg....it was pure genius!!  

    The Waffle with Strawberry Rhubarb Preserve & Honey Butter: Our friend had the insight to ask if they could add a scoop of the Bourbon Ice Cream from another dessert to this.....they did.....and it just elevated the dish to oh say about cloud 9!! So good.....really....must order!

    Our server was fantastic.....and we had yet again another stellar night at the Publican!!

    4.0 star rating
    8/21/2009 Previous review
    Delish!! Finally went here last night for din with some peeps......and was very pleased with my… Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    7/7/2010

    I took my friends here who were visiting out of town.  We got extremely lost but the helpful hostess set us back on course.  
    I think we ate everything.
    Definitely get the pork rinds, oysters, pork belly.  Let them suggest a beer for you.
    After eating I didn't think this was possible, but I think we were all drunk on pork? I was in a euphoric state all the way back to my apartment where we promptly all crashed on the floor.

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/24/2009

    Outstanding food by the same folks who brought us Blackbird, and fantastic beer and wine pairings with affordable prices make this a great restaurant.     A standing prix-fixe tasting menu for $45 every Sunday night make this a neighborhood gem.

    Signature dishes like the freshly fried pork rinds, sweetbreads, and a general love of all things pig make Publican the talk of the town.

    However, hard surfaces and communal dining make for a noise level that's over the top.  It is impossible to carry on a conversation with the person across the table.

    The noise problem is a BIG problem.  It makes it impossible to have conversations, and it kills any opportunity to take advantage of the communal dining by striking up a conversation with the strangers down the table.   For a place that's basically a high-end pub, the inability to communicate is a deal-breaker.

    If they could knock down the noise a few notches, this place would easily be a 5 star worthy restaurant.  A shame that it's ruined by the noise.

    _Am

  • 2.0 star rating
    7/28/2010

    Disappointing experience.

    I was excited to try Publican--especially after all the great press. We didn't have a reservation, but were prepared to wait the hour the hostess told us it would take--happy to enjoy a couple appetizers and a beer.

    Nearly two hours later and several waiter screw-ups (apparently the restaurant was 'backed-up' -- on a Friday night? Really?) Seating seemed haphazard, with large swaths of the restaurant open. As a former restaurant worker I understand that reservations need to be honored but there were obviously cancellations -- there was torrential rainstorm that evening. Frustrating!

    Our orders were a plate of so-so oysters and the over-hyped pork rinds. Nothing memorable. The menu did look awesome, and the room is fantastic, but after my experience I doubt I'd go back...especially with all the other great restaurants options in Chicago.

    One last note (the capper). As we were leaving, our hipsterish waiter tried to make amends by tell us that "we should come back on Tuesday, it's probably more your 'scene'." Good to know, and we'll remember to stick to Red Lobster on weekends with my fellow stiffs!

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/15/2009

    Publican = F'ing delicious.

    Menu at Publican = Diverse, lots of meat options, lots of beer.  Enough options that even my super picky vegetarian mother was happy, weird right.

    Service at Publican =  Friendly, helpful, great beer pairing reccos.

    The Design at Publican = I love everything down to the pink gingham checked shirts of female food runners and the wedgewood china.

    The Chairs at Publican = Ungodly painful.  Like some sort of medieval torture device.  The ladder back chair has been around a long time, why did you have to make one so painful?

  • 2.0 star rating
    3/28/2010

    True. Story.

    Came here for chef's week with Grace L and Mei Z... for an eventful night of mishaps!!
    1) waiter broke a huge bottle right next to my chair spraying shards of glass everywhere.. but it's okay accidents happen.
    2) we were waiting for our order for almost 45 minutes when we finally inquired to only find out....
    3) that the kitchen FORGOT our order!! -_-
    4) FINALLY our order came out, but my friend's pork rib was 60% FAT. had to send back to kitchen...
    5) another pork rib came out that was RAW in the middle.. had to send back to kitchen
    6) finally third time is the charm.. and they were nice enough to send out extra desserts and take a beer off our order.

    Sigh, so I was unimpressed with the coordination of our meal.. I'm sorry this is a PROFESSIONAL restaurant! You don't lose people's orders.. that doesn't even happen at McDonald's..

    As for the food, it was good, but the execution was somewhat off. Since our food took forever to come out, they kept feeding us bread which I LOVED. So soft and yummy with butter. The gem salad was deliciously well balanced but the pig ears just sorta tasted like fried crispiness, and I think was more for the novelty rather than adding to actual flavor. The pork rib itself was well seasoned but tough. As for desserts, i LOVEDDDDDD the waffle! oh la la I could eat that everyday. It comes with honey butter and pickled golden raisins which were strange but not bad. The chocolate gelato was also good but came with olive oil and salt which sounds interesting and was for the first bite. But in all honesty, I think people prefer it plain without all the pizazz. The lemon poppy seed cake with yogurt (tart like pinkberry) gelato was also popular.

    All in all, I feel like this restaurant tries to hard to be conceptually modern and interesting rather than focusing on having a finished product of delicious flavor.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/11/2013

    I let the experience settle in for a few days before writing a review.   The fact that I had a hankering (yeah, I said hankering) to go back a week later bumped my review up a star.  Our reservations were for early on a Saturday night.   We were greeted and seated promptly.  We experienced great, attentive service from the moment we sat down.  I wanted to hate the communal seating but it turned out to be fine.  The high back chairs and cushioning under the table really served to insulate our conversation.  The food is small plates so plan to try a bunch of different things.  Since this place is designed to honor the pig, we did our very best.  I would skip the pork rinds because they were NOT amazing and I've had better.  The charcuterie was amazing and we honored every tasty morsel of that hog.  The oysters were fantastic. Enjoyed the extensive offerings of craft beers as well.  The fresh bread and mussels are calling me back right now.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/24/2010

    I have been here twice; once for brunch and once for dinner.  Needless to say, I can't wait to go back.

    It is always buzzing in there.  Seating consists of two option: long communal tables of booths reminiscent of a pig pen.

    I sat both ways and the booth is great for privacy but I really like the communal tables.  

    Brunch:  

    I love eggs benedict as much as the next person but these were a whole new level.  The eggs are poached in red wine so they have this devilish purple hue.  Instead of ham or bacon, a heaping pile of prosciutto accompanies this re-imagining of a brunch staple.

    The weisswurst and the pastrami are also delicious.   I would also suggest ordering the frites with egg for the table to whet your appetite.

    Dinner is an entirely new level of pork consumption.  It's the Publican, so what did I expect?

    Prior to dining here, I was a pork rind virgin.  I was missing out!  The spicy pork rinds here are fresh, amazing, and worth a try.

    Our server highly recommended the Pig's Head but the kitchen had already run out.  It was only 6:30pm so I assume this is a popular choice and will give it a shot next time.  

    She also recommended the suckling pig, the bolito misto, and a watermelon based salad.  I had no clue what to expect but the flavors were complex and everything was cooked perfectly.  (It may have helped that exec. chef Paul Kahan was in the house that night!)
     
    We topped it off with a waffle and hazelnut tart.  Why doesn't everyone serve waffles for dessert?

    It is not cheap and not the best place if you are trying to impress a vegetarian but I love it and I can't wait to go back.

    Side Note:  The bathroom is a spacious unisex room with private toilets and a large communal sink reminiscent of The Chamber of Secrets (HP).  Random but I like it

  • 3.0 star rating
    11/1/2011

    i would give publican 3.5 stars.

    we had an early friday reservation, and the restaurant was about 1/3 full when we arrived. we were seated in the middle of one of the communal tables.
    by the time we left, we had a party of 8 on one side, several couples in a row on the other, and the entire place was packed and very, very loud.

    what i loved - the beer selection (was FANTASTIC), the cheese plate, the bass, the chicken, the lighting

    what i wish i had loved - the service (started off well enough, but by the time we left i felt as though we were being ignored while his other tables were getting super-attentive service... maybe we didn't spend enough? or order the "right' things?)
    the charcuterie plate - we ordered it.. it never arrived... service quality  had already decreased, and i was actually pretty full. but to not eat a bit of pig while at the publican seems semi-shameful.

    if i lived in chicago, i would definitely go back.. another try at dinner, and i'd love to try their brunch.

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/21/2009

    It's difficult to review a restaurant without judging it in terms of past reviews and expectations.  If I am going to a place that I don't expect to be phenomenal and then it turns out to be really great, I will probably rate it very highly.

    My expectations were set so high for the Publican based on all the great reviews and press it has received, as well as the reputation of the chef himself.  And although the restaurant was very good, it did not  "wow" me like many past reviewers seem to have experienced.  

    Admittedly I am not a meat eater; however, there was plenty on the menu to engage my interest.  I started out with the chef's pick for oysters, and they were delicious.  I prefer the east coast oysters; briny and meaty, with the full taste of the sea, as opposed to the delicate west coast oysters.

    We shared a couple of entrees, including the farm chicken, the perch (they were out of the striped bass that I wanted), the shrimp, and the pork ribs.  The pickle plate that we started our meal with was delicious and fresh.  I like the fact that everything is locally grown and raised, and was excited to see one of my local favorites at our farmer's market as a provider!

    But the actual preparation, although really good, was not phenomenal.  The portions sizes were small, but that was perfect for me, as anything more would have been overkill.  I liked some of the unique pairings of food as well.

    We sat outside on the front patio, definitely a good thing as it's really loud inside.  We were meeting friends and it would have been difficult to keep a conversation going inside the raucous, communal atmosphere.  

    All in all, it's definitely a great place to try, and it was a good experience, but not quite memorable enough to warrant going back.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/16/2010
    1 check-in

    The restaurant itself is a blast.  Has a unique blend of an upscale restaurant feel with high quality service combined with an "old school" european tavern-like feel.

    Got a chance to meet up with an old friend of mine and since he moved to Chicago several years ago, he knew of this place.  And actually, he was somewhat of a VIP here because he's friends with the general manager, so they treated us really well including starting us off with a complimentary dish of spicy pork rinds.  Honestly, in terms of the food itself, this was probably the best part of the entire dinner.  The rinds were sprinkled with incredibly tasting seasoning, but the the rinds themselves almost melted in your mouth.  They are so bad for your health I imagine, yet so damn good...

    We ordered a number of other dishes.  Like the other yelpers mentioned, these dishes are served family-style, which is great because you get to taste everything.  We got the ribs (not bad, but a little dry), perch (second best dish next to the pork rinds), sunny-side up organic eggs over frites (tasty, but really, just french fries), sweetbread (a weird combination of sweet and saltiness). and the pork belly (tasty, but again, a little dry).  If I had to rate the food itself, I'd unfortunately, have to give it 3 stars.

    However, with that said, the overall experience was very positive.  Great lively atmosphere and unique decor with a combination of stand alone seating and shared bench seating at long tables.  In addition, their selection of beers has no rivals, as apparently, the restaurant is "beer-focused" as stated its description.  Tons of great dark and light beers to choose from with wide ranges of alcohol levels.

    Bottom line:  4 stars!  Great overall experience dragged down slightly by 3 star tasting dishes.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/1/2012

    The bf and I went here for brunch to celebrate us winning our fantasy football league a few months ago.  I had read and heard this place was good, but no one ever said it was THIS good! The decor was styled like a 1950's German beer hall which I liked.
    Since I was feeling festive I got a mimosa and the bf got the Publican mimosa(which is Belgium beer and orange juice). We split the pecan sticky bun, which I never knew a sticky bun could taste this amazing. I was amped up for my main course which did not disappoint. I got the Monte cristo sandwich which was delicious (I see it is no longer on the menu, hopefully they will bring it back into rotation.) Since I prefer to drink my desserts I ordered a bloody mary to end the meal. I D.I.E.! I don't think I ever have or ever will have a bloody mary as good as this. It was fresh, spicy, and came with a beer back of your choice (I ordered Gumballhead). A perfect way to end a great meal.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/8/2012
    1 check-in

    Hearty food, the stick to your bones type, that is so delicious and has such a wide range of flavors. There are many things on this menu that I would never had tried on my own but the Publican serves them is such a way that I am not scared to try them. Sunday brunch is also a must. On top of all of their delicious meals their desserts are absolutely amazing.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/20/2010
    1 check-in

    Having spent some time at Big Star, I was really looking forward to trying out another of Kahan's joints. My only reservation was the fact that my wife is a vegetarian, and the pork-centric menu sounded (from Yelpers, at least) not to have many meatless options. As it turns out, the chefs always have a vegetarian concoction available, and it was totally delicious. We ordered an appetizer of roasted squash, and the kitchen made sure to not include that on the veggie plate entree, which was a really nice touch.

    I was in meat lover's heaven, starting off with the spicy pork rinds (gotta order them), and having the country ribs as my entree. Outstanding. We'll definitely be back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/22/2011

    While the most delicious dish I ate was a side and the ahi tuna and kale disappointed, there is no restaurant I want to go back to more than The Publican. Here's what my wife, my friend, and I tried from least to most enjoyable:

    Kale: as kale is one of my favorite greens to make at home, I expected a beautiful dish, but got a salty, soggy one. When I return, I'll try the sunchokes instead

    Ahi Tuna: this had some good pickled vegetables on it, but the tuna itself imparted a slight fishiness, and I would have preferred it less cooked. Next time, I'll choose the cobia crudo.

    Shaved Brussels Sprouts: considering how much I love Becker Brussels Sprouts from the Joy of Cooking, I'm usually underwhelmed by other recipes. The grilled onion and mint in this one left me whelmed.

    Breton Butter Cake: I loved the slight moistness and sweetness of this dish, especially combined with the rhubarb confit, but it still couldn't match the next  four dishes.

    Taste of Three Hams: the serrano was intense, the prosciutto won me over by the second bite, and La Quercia Rossa proved incredibly smooth.

    Lamb Sausage: this was brilliantly spiced and the bed of lentils, fennel, and yogurt it sat in was richly complementary.

    Duck Breast: the amazingly juicy duck with a crispy skin beats out even the Peking duck at Golden Unicorn in New York's Chinatown or my favorite duck taco.

    Sweet Potatoes: I could eat these little chunks of sweet potatoes and drink the Romesco sauce they're smothered in all day. Incredible.

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/8/2010

    We had high hopes for Publican. Having arrived via Amtrak on the way to NYC, we had a six hour layover. Since food figures prominently in our lives, I researched and decided Publican was the place to go.

    Arriving, we found the space to be well designed. It had a definite German beer hall influence combined with a bit of Prarie style. Understated, with craftsmanship evident in the simple furnishing. The seating is mainly in communal tables with some high round standup tables and peripheral two and four tops. We went for a two top.

    The focus of the Publican is beer and food sourced from local purveyors, particularly hog farmers. The beer list is monumental with a large section of Belgians, the holy land of beer. The menu is not large and offers both small plates and large.

    We started with local beer and then later went to Belgian. Our meal included Walleyed Pike in fried morsel form and Porchetta, theirs being a pork belly rolled with herbs, roasted, and then sliced in a thick slice. The Pike was excellent, but the Porchetta was tough and stringy. The flavor was great, though.

    The main problems was the service. I hate it when the wait staff is just going through the motions. Our waiter must was so mentally groggy that he paid little attention to our needs and did not really want to offer much info. Furthermore, his personal hygiene was poor and his uniform was not clean.

    It ended up being a ho-hum choice for our one night in Chicago. If the service had been better and the Porchetta not tough, I would have given the place another star.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/3/2009 Updated review

    Peace out, tasty neighbor!  I've enjoyed looking down on the patio from my living room to spot open tables when I need a bite.  Digging through a drawer of receipts I winced after hitting a vein of Publican slips but only because of volume, not lack of value.

    The Publican absolutely deserves its widespread acclaim.  Never thought I'd like pork rinds, especially with rose brut.  Turns out, I do.
    Servers are always know their stuff, and the amazing thing is the consistently amazing, simple, honest dishes. I've actually never gone wrong with a single dish here.  Try the Crudo, Trotter, and despite the fact that it's 'just chicken', get the chicken some time, too.
    Oh, and BEST breakfast sandwich ever (evar).

    5.0 star rating
    11/6/2008 Previous review
    5 up!  I LOVE the menu.
    Some unexpectedly amazingly good things (prawn sausage, pig's foot, date…
    Read more
  • 3.0 star rating
    2/10/2010

    Three stars and a half. The place is very nice, and the boots are quite funky. But it is VERY noisy, and the food, albeit good, was not great.

    Mind, we were there with a large group for brunch, so things may different for dinner.

    I am looking forward to try it again.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/29/2012

    Enjoyed the experience overall. We sat at the bar, had some fries, oysters (love how they do the chef selection) and a few other small dishes. Reasonably priced and everything was tasty. The bathrooms are also pretty awesome

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/14/2011

    1) We started, ya vol, at a "traditional German standing-room-only" table while our dinner party arrived, where we could have, but chose not to, partake in rounds of grog. I say grog because it just felt like that is what we should have been drinking, since there was this communal dining table that wrapped around the restaurant. Additionally, there were stalls, and I really do mean stalls, as you got into your booth and doors shut behind you, making you feel like you're in a stable. Sadly, we did not get to eat in the cattle cars; instead, we were eventually seated at the communal table.

    I will say this: aside from everything else, I find this gimmicky and stupid and awful. The wood is gorgeous, the ambiance lovely, and then it's all ruined by having to sit next to another group. This is not the way this country works any more, I don't think. We value our privacy and our pigeon cooping too much. VALUE MY PERSONAL SPACE, I say. I choose to broach conversation with few. Get away from me.

    That's pretty much where the uncomfortable part ended, though. We were asked to pick several plates, which were then ordered into loose courses for us by our waiter.

    2) We started with a sort of charcuterie of pig - "taste of three hams", with "peasant bread" and "goat butter". The goat butter tasted...like butter, shockingly, and the bread was fine. The pig, though, was excellent. Thinly sliced and each of the three types of pig had very distinctive tastes, to the point where I loved two and hated one for being too smoky.

    3) We also shared frites with two eggs, frites just on their own with a side of aioli, and a cone of pork rinds. The frites with two eggs were quite good, but the eggs actually got in the way of the perfection of the fries themselves -- somehow managing to be super-crisp on the outside but soft and moist on the inside, well-seasoned but not overbearing, and not really needing the aioli either. In and of themselves, they showed what a potato can do and I could quite seriously have an entire meal of these little miracles.

    The pork rinds were just too odd for me to appreciate them. I'm sure that, for pork rinds, they are quite good, and I got a couple bites in where the paprika and other seasonings were blended deliciously, but the pork rinds themselves?

    Imagine breathing in a mist. Made of ham.

    It's just too strange.

    4) Also ordered: "little gem salad" with a decadent buttermilk and basil vinaigrette and "head cheese croutons". If you are saying "what the what?" to the concept of croutons made of head cheese, you are not alone. However, what they turned out to be were deep fried X, where X is anything you've ever had deep-fried ever. It tasted good. What can I say?

    5) One of the smaller dishes we shared was sturgeon: fish, with bacon on top, some creme fraiche and a lot of dill. It was SO good. I only had a bite, because coming were: a giant bowl of mussels, which were floating in a broth of the essence of savory. The mussels came with a little rhomboid prism of bread, and dipping it in that broth was one of the highlights of the night. The mussels themselves were quite good, too, but that broth!

    6) For the piece de la resistance: sirloin beef tips, cooked medium rare, and sliced in such a way as everyone could get their fill. They were delicious and beefy, but they were, you know, cow. I've had it before. It wasn't prepared in any way that made it more special for me. It was delicious, but there's not much more to say about that.

    Having filled ourselves to the brim on everything else, we had no room for dessert. Still and all, a very, very nice night, and for much less than I'd expected.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/1/2010

    This is a pork, oysters and beer restaurant, and it does all three of them VERY well. I'm talking about very tasty slices of ham, a dozen oysters to choose from, and om nom nom so much beer.

    The interior makes me feel like I'm in a crowded eating hall/barn in Maine and it is a very good fit for the kind of food that they serve.

    My own negative thing to say was that we ordered trout once and because fish does not belong to the set of {pork, oysters, beer}, it wasn't very memorable. Stick to the rule of three.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/17/2010 Updated review

    A shout-out to Katie and Kimberly for allowing us to host our going-away brunch at Publican!  It was amazing!  You guys are wonderful!  And by far the thing we miss the most about Chicago are Publican's oysters, pork, and beer... and BRUNCH!

    We have yet to find a brunch in London that can compare.  The eggs are always poached perfectly (in red wine, of course!); the smoked trout is to-die-for.  It's all so sumptuous and decadent, just like dinner.  If you haven't gone, do yourself a favour and go soon.  Take your in-laws, take your in-town and out-of-town friends, take your kids... they will all thank you for the experience!

    5.0 star rating
    11/13/2009 Previous review
    Ok, so I'm from a state shaped like a pig, and I grew up on a farm.  This means several things,… Read more
  • 2.0 star rating
    5/27/2012

    So my boyfriend and I were disappointed in this place. He had been here before for beer and oysters at the bar since he couldn't get a seat. At that point he thought it was decent so he wanted to try dinner. We had a plate with different meats (forgot the name), the pig ear salad, the plate with rabbit, and the suckling pig. My fav was the pig ear salad, but that wasn't amazing by any means. The rabbit plate was some weird sausage thing that tasted more like very salty ham than anything else. The suckling pig was also too salty. With three beers, our bill was $110 and our experience (notably loud while bumping elbows with our neighbors in the communal searing) was definitely not worth that...maybe half that. Will not eat here again.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/2/2010

    Never have a ever...felt like such a PIG.

    Reason 1: If you are sitting at one of the booths, they will have two swinging doors that box you in, as if you are in a pig pen. love the concept.
    Reason 2: Delicious pig products: Pork Belly, Fried Pork Grinds
    Reason 3: The food was soo good, I stuffed myself like a little piggy. I don't think i've ever had such tender, tasty, PORK BELLY... YOU MUST ORDER THIS DISH.

    OINK OINK!

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/21/2009

    My boyfriend drunk dialed me from The Publican one night. All he kept saying was, "I'm in Germany! I'm in Germany!". Obviously he wasn't but he certainly felt the restaurant had an Eastern European feel (he lived in Berlin for 4 months last year). I was jealous that he got to go there before me. We'd been trying to get reservations for weeks. Apparently he got a late-night reservation there while I was out of town.

    My first go at this restaurant was for brunch with that same BF. We called the day of for an 11:30 reservations on a Sunday and got in. When I walked in I could totally see why it reminded him of Germany. There's just this feeling you get. I think it's a combination of the lights and the design of the room with communal dining tables and hanging lamps. It's actually quite beautiful but not in the way that Eve or Perennial or Vermillion are. I totally, 100% loved it. There were little touches like the butter dish and the old-school silverware that reminded me of the ones I had when I was growing up.

    We split the sour cherry coffee cake to start with my very strong coffee (actually too strong for me). Then we split this pork shoulder sandwich (really, really good) with a side of bacon. Their bacon is nothing like I've seen. It was like bacon on steroids. I didn't care for it by my BF did. Lastly, we split a side of summer sausage. Summer sausage reminds me of going to the northwoods of Wisconsin with my Polish/Czech grandparents every summer because they would get this meat and make sandwiches. So this dish, as well as the whole restaurant, was very nostalgic for me.

    We got bloody mary's and they all come with a beer side car. Tasty! The service was okay - our bus boy was more attentive than our actual server.

    I will be back for dinner (if I can get a reservation anytime soon). And hopefully I can upgrade The Publican to 5 stars.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/9/2010

    I'm always leery of the yelp uncertainty principle - the knowledge that I'm going to write a yelp review of a place changing my experience of it.  So I sat in quiet contemplation for a few days before I wrote this review, making sure that I wasn't subconsciously lashing out at the Publican's slew of good ratings.

    Nope, OK, I'm not.  I don't need to tell you why this place should be five stars - I'm not the first on here to put capitals and excessive punctuation around PORK! and BEER!, and they are well-deserved.  But holy cats, did I have some bad service here last weekend.  If I hadn't known my dinner companion well (and that he will put up with pretty much anything for tasty pork/cheese/beer), I might have thought that he slipped the waitress a hundo to rush us out of there.  Among the issues:

    (1) I sat without a drink for the majority of our first two courses;

    (2) We only HAD two courses because she never came back after the second, except 20 minutes later with the check in hand (!!)

    (3) I asked for the wine menu back to check out the cordials - because she TOOK the menus after course 2 was ordered - and she never came back to ask me if we had decided what we'd like.

    On the plus side, the Publican is straight-up cheap when you don't get to order anything.  I'd say we spent (and ate, and drank) a third of what we were intending to.

    The Publican is way too good of a place to have waitresses who completely lose their professionalism on busy or understaffed nights.  I've been there once before and know for a fact some of the service staff is top notch, so I've got my fingers crossed that this was an aberration.  But I'm not going to be back to find out any time too soon.

  • 2.0 star rating
    6/28/2011

    Dear Publican Hostesses on the night of 6/23 (one of you is named Sarah, I know that much),

    In our long tenure (our = fiance and me) in the food service industry, we have never EVER been told when the next booking was so that we could get out "in time."  We've worked at upscale restaurants.  We know how to cultivate a feeling of warm exclusivity.  It would behoove both of you snots to learn.

    Perhaps 24 hours in advance isn't enough notice to alert you that a member of our 7 top wouldn't be coming.  However, it was the time frame I was given on the phone by a much more polite woman a week earlier when I first made the reservation.  Perhaps it's because we were 10 minutes late, although calling you 1/2 hour beforehand seemed like it would mitigate the piss poor attitude we got.  You assured me that everything was fine.  I don't know what happened really, except that we showed up, you looked me square cold in the eye and breezily uttered "The next seating is at 8:30.  Your party should have *plenty* of time before giving up the table."  

    Screw you.  Even in the lowest ice cream stores in the Midwestern burbs, employees are fired for comments that boil down to "hurry up and get out."  Yet there you are like the Queen of Siam or some shit working upscale.  A-frikin'-mazing.

    Since future-hubby loves pork so much and I have a massive hard-on for oysters, Publican hasn't been totally written off our list.  If nothing else, we're kinda sad about the whole thing.  Everything else is so lovely there, although I did notice a distinctly more...hipster look to the wait staff, which rarely bodes well for attitude adjustments.  However, it may be time to start playing the field for other candidates a bit.  

    Just letting you know, so you can, like, get out in time.

    Ciao,
    A

    P.S.  Please tell your ancillary waitstaff to not be so quick about clearing glasses with scotch in them.  That's been stuck in the Man's craw a bit too.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/11/2009

    Six word review: Best brunch I've had in Chicago.

    The details: I went to Publican for the first time with a group of 10 or so at brunch. From the first sip of the Publican mimosa (which, yes, is made with beer) to the last bite of my side of bacon, my taste buds were very happy, and even a tad jealous after seeing what everyone else had ordered (i.e. the french toast). The service was very attentive, and the atmosphere feels homey despite the size of the dining room. And it's fun to watch the people eating in the pig-stall booths.  

    All in all, Publican reminded me of a Midwest version of Cochon in New Orleans, which is a very good thing indeed.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/26/2011

    Three lines will suffice.
    I am a vegetarian.
    I was convinced to try their maple bacon.
    It was the most succulent, delicious bacon of my life and made me seriously question the last 8 years of vegetarianism.

    Addendum:
    The sticky buns are spectacular.

  • 3.0 star rating
    12/20/2009

    At first Publican felt like it belonged in the German section of Epcot. The theme is very reminiscent of a German beerhall that everyone would attend during Oktoberfest. I'll give kudos to the fact that it stays true to that mentality. The waiting area is in the middle of the space surrounded by the communal tables and booths that diners are eating at. While you wait at waist-high tables you can sample beers from all over the world each served in their specific glass. I wasn't a fan that your drink bill cannot be forwarded to your eating bill though.

    We were seated at one of the communal tables with high back chairs which ensure you sit at a 90 degree angle. Even though the tables are communal, I never felt like I was interrupting the diners next to us. The place is loud though. You will have to speak up. I was with a party of six and it got difficult to hear people at times.

    Our server was very intelligent and friendly. He answered all of our questions and gave excellent reasons behind his recommendations. The menu itself needs work as their is not explanation as to which dishes are smaller and which are larger. Price doesn't help as some smaller dishes were the same price as larger ones.

    The dining is family-style which can be fun but also difficult. You have to hope everyone enjoys what's being ordered and that enough is ordered to feed everyone but not too much that you require a bank loan to pay your bill. Our party had many items. The frites with egg, the shrimp, the brussel sprouts, the pork belly, and a couple other items I can't recall. Everything tasted very good with some things (the frites for sure) standing out.

    I'd be happy to visit The Publican again for either a couple of drinks and apps with friends. The portions are too large to just go with the wife and I'd rather do tapas with friends than family-style dining. Good time but not worth a second trip.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/14/2009

    I took my husband here for his birthday.

    The seating is a bit...odd, I guess. There's quite a bit of communal seating, and some of the booths are walled in, and you have to kind of open a door to get out of your booth. We went on a Saturday night (with a reservation, of course) and the place was packed.

    We started with the market salad and the frites with a fried egg on top. The frites were good, but I would have appreciated more seasoning. One fried egg on top of a bounty of fries only goes so far. The market salad was quite delicious. My husband got homemade pork rinds, which he really enjoyed.

    For our main courses, I got a fish fry with fried with lemons, artichoke hearts and eggplant. It all had a light breading on it and it was served with a delicious, tangy tarter sauce. My husband got the pork belly, which he really enjoyed.

    The highlight of the night for me was the dessert. It was a waffle with honey butter and blueberries. It was light, so it wasn't super rich and didn't weigh us down, yet it was so satisfying.

    It was hard to tell how much we should order on a menu like this, the layout was a bit odd. But, we left happy and had a great time.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/20/2010

    I brought my husband here for his "man Valentine's Day" date the week before Valentine's.  Brunch was pretty fabulous. We loved the bloody marys, they come paired with a beer chaser. A little pricey but totally worth it. I still have dreams about those bloody marys now that I can no longer drink because there is a full on alien invasion of my body aka pregnancy going on. The good was good, I don't eat bacon but I did give theirs a try and though it wasn't my thing I still thought it was delicious. The reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because we were the first ones there and we were seated next to the loud kitchen at the end of the long table instead of in a pen like I had requested and we had reservations.

    Definitely make a reservation if you plan on coming here.

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/26/2010
    1 check-in

    Food: YES!
    Service: On the cusp of terrible

    We had a reservation but they weren't quite ready to seat us. So the host showed us to the "bar" which is a pub height table that looks like cattle should be tied to it. While we were waiting for the others, I ordered (and pointed to it on the menu) a regular "bottomless cup" of coffee and my friend ordered a bloody mary. Ten minutes later, the rest of our party arrived and my coffee was still MIA. A different waitress came over and asked if we wanted any drinks so we told her that we had ordered coffee and a bloody mary. Eventually I get a french press coffee and my friend gets nothing. Ok...this is starting of great.

    After a few minutes we realize that they still have yet to come get us for our table. After asking the hostess about the ETA on our table she says, "oh yes, we've been ready for you." Ok...and when were you going to tell us that?

    We sit outside where all of the people who like to "be seen" are eating. Ten minutes later, our waiter shows up to take our order.

    When we do finally get our food, I must say, its delicious. They have the best french toast! I mean it is d-lish. The lox dish was really good too.

    The food is the only element worth rating. Unfortunately, its not enough for me to go back. I just couldn't believe how unorganized this place was.

  • 2.0 star rating
    7/16/2009

    eh.
    The Good:
    The bread is delish.
    My mom's ribs were good, but have a lot of black on them...like A LOT. And were some of the most expensive ribs I have ever seen. The polenta with it was very good, too.
    The hamachi I had was decent, fresh. It was with almonds, salt, pepper, peas, strawberries.
    The chard by the glass is pretty damn good.

    The Bad:
    Got there at 5pm, was told our group of 4 would have to leave at 7pm b/c of reservations after us. That was kinda bleh.
    My friend's chicken, which didn't cost our table because they didn't have mussel. I thought is was medicore.
    The sweetbreads. They were good quality, yes, but soooo dull. Unsalted, nothing really came with them. I was left sad and blue balled.
    Because we have had such a crap time, they gave us dessert. Waffles were gross, I rather had an Eggo waffle.
    The fries were just bleh, even with an EGG! :(

    Even with them giving us food b/c of our crap time, the bill came out to be huge. HUGE. It's expensive fare. And for what we got, it didn't warrent it's prices. If this place interests you and you don't want to be hit in the wallet or dissatisfied, I think Bristol would be a better alternative. That's my take.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/5/2009

    What can I say about the Publican?  Well, the Publican is basically the reason I joined Yelp.  The Publican is why I enjoy good food.  I went with a group of seven, including: my girlfriend, my roommate celebrating his birthday, two friends moving to Portland, and two new pals.  An exciting group that enjoys good food and good beer as much as good laughs.

    We started with the chef's selection of oysters, some pork rinds and a Belgian-style beer.  We shared so many plates I forgot the names!  I'll list some stand-outs: the potee plate, pork belly, little gem salad, frites - complete with fried eggs, radishes (a table surprise-favorite), pickles, olives and suckling pig.  I may be losing my mind, but the sea salt they use at the Publican is the best I've ever had. Now I eat a lot o' salt, but the little things make a restaurant for me.

    The menu changes regularly (daily?) and I would have loved the steak tartar, but the tongue and head cheese filled the void!

    Our waitress was perfect - especially for a sharing-encouraged restaurant.  Answered our questions perfectly, brought us lots of drinks, asked about our meals and then left us alone.  I love that.

    Best comment of the night: "You don't bring a first date to Publican.  You bring a 10th date to Publican."

    Our bill was about $55 each with tip, a healthy tip at that.  At least $20 LESS than I expected to pay.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/2/2009

    We went to The Publican for brunch and it was A-mazing. The spicy pork rinds had to start off our meal. The entrees were delicious. The decor was cool. The drinks were delicious.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/20/2009

    I had a great meal at Publican over the weekend. I can understand some of the misgivings people have, but to me, the menu is unique enough to make this place worth visiting.

    We started off with the chef's tasting of the oysters. 6 different types of oysters, all fresh and delicious. I was very impressed by the freshness and diversity of the oysters. It's hard to find great oysters outside of high-end restaurants and I haven't seen this much variety anywhere not on the coast, so for me this is a huge draw.

    Another highlight was the sweetbreads which were lightly breaded and served with a very light, vinegary sauce. They were so good that we were able to convince a very picky eater at the table to try them (before we told her what sweetbreads are). She loved them, but refused to eat more when we spilled the beans. Also the squid ink pasta had excellent texture and deep flavor that complemented the shrimp it was served with perfectly. And of course the excellent pork rinds have been well documented. The fries (which I think are fried in duck fat) were very rich but the egg on top didn't add much for me. If I were to order fries again, it would be without the egg and preferably with a side of aioli.

    The only miss for me was the sturgeon which was rather flavorless, though I suspect this may be more a product of my preference for stronger tasting fish.

    Also I have to mention the top notch beer selection. I started off with a bottle of De Ranke XX which I had never seen before. It was a very hoppy Belgian IPA that seemed a little over-hopped, but I was glad I was able to try a different beer in one of my favorite styles. The second beer I had, which was on tap, was something that ended in Urbock (I forget the full name). I was expecting a nice malty German bock, but instead got the best rauchbier (smoke beer) I've ever had. It was creamy and only slightly smokey but enough to add tremendous character to the beer. The fact that Publican has a beer of this quality and rarity on tap is a huge selling point in my eyes.

    Publican specializes in fish, pork, and beer and I think they deal with all three in a way few other restaurants do.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/28/2009

    Wow -- this place is fantastic.

    I went here last week with a marketing industry buddy (Brad "bedouin" B.) and we had the following:

    - 12 Oysters (never enough -- I could have eaten 25 by myself) -- they were very good!

    - Pork rinds -- wow really? NEVER had these before -- they were light and crispy and delicious.  You totally forget it's pure fat fried in fat.

    - Potee -- very tender -- I VERY, VERY rarely eat pork -- it was great.

    - Sweetbreads - I am a very adventurous eater -- so why the fuck not try the thymus glad of a cow? I enjoyed it -- I did not like the texture but the taste was great.

    -- Cheese plate -- umm...it's cheese. I love cheese. My bones are made from pure cheese.  If you do an x-ray of my hands you will find cheese sticks. :)

    I thought the way the seating was arranged was very interesting -- it made it very fun. I met some awesome people who were sitting next to me! What more could you want! :)

    Bottom line: this place rocks -- the beer selection is incredible.  The food was top notch (even the cow glands -- who'd have thought?!).

    Go -- enjoy your time -- I look forward to reading your reviews!!

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 4.0 star rating
    10/5/2009

    Went here for brunch and after dining at Blackbird and Avec, I expected more from the food.  The atmosphere was unique (set up like a German beer hall) so it felt as if you were back at your college cafeteria.  Very loud but that's the point I think.  We decided to dine outside (small area but cozy).  The famous pretzel was tasty but very salty and it came with mustard sauce that my husband loved and could probably have eaten that by itself.  We ordered an omlette which once again, was good but not excellent.  I think we were just spoiled with Avec and Blackbird and then thought, "this place must be just as good" and it was not.  Very friendly staff though.  :)

    If you want to try it out, just because it has a good name behind it, go for it.  You will enjoy your meal, just not be blown away.  Great place for a large group inside.

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/11/2012

    I'd give the Publican 3.5 stars.

    We headed there for a Sunday brunch without reservations and the wait was probably 5 minutes tops, but we got there when they opened, mind you. The wait was definitely alot longer as the morning went on so reservations are definitely recommended.

    I ordered a mimosa to drink and it was alright. Wasn't amazing. Oh and they serve Intelligentsia coffee if anyone's a fan.

    One of the fave's of the morning was definitely their pecan sticky bun - soo soft and gooey. Yum! Other things we had:

    Wine poached eggs with proscuitto - kinda their version of an eggs benedict. I could actually taste the wine in the eggs. it was pretty good and...mmm...who doesn't love prosciutto?! They actually give you a good amount which was surprising.

    Arctic char with seeded bagel - the smoked arctic char was delicious! Kinda like lox so you can't miss with that.

    Soft Scrambled Eggs and Bone Marrow - Definitely something to see. It's an interesting taste. But it got a little too rich so definitely dip it with your bread, not really for eating by itself. My friend couldn't finish it because it tasted just like fat to her...

    Quiche - probably something we could have skipped. Soo greasy that I could barely taste it. A bit soggy too.

    Will definitely be back to try the other stuff.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/1/2009 Updated review

    So close.

    The food is there: potee luscious, mussels silky, the oysters brilliantly briny. (They have a nice oyster pot roast, too, with crunchy parmesan, ramps, and sorrel on top.) They also secretly make some of the best veggie sides in town. Get this: grilled asparagus are set atop a pile of grits whipped with mascarpone, draped with hazelnuts and doused with olive oil. Frighteningly good.

    If there is a flaw, it's still dessert: the chocolate budino cake was box-cake level, saved only--but not entirely--by a lime sorbet that seemed to get more complex the longer it lingered on the tongue. Afterthought, still.

    Knock knocks: the initial half-assing of getting us table. We were told, with a good half of the restaurant unfilled, that they could only sit us at the bar; when that was not ideal for my hearing-impaired friend, they told us a table might be available in an hour. We passed and were headed out the door when the hostess said there was always the option of the communal seating. Um, what, is that not a table? Fine, we said. She apologized--and then sat us at the worst part of it, the corner. And we were among a mere three people at the darn thing for the better part of an hour.

    Seriously, c'mon.

    4.0 star rating
    4/24/2009 Previous review
    So: lighting still harsh, noise still nuisance-y, service still aloof (though that, as I've come to… Read more
    3.0 star rating
    2/21/2009 Previous review
    I've been here three times since the October opening and have been rather disheartened that the… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    2/9/2011

    Great food - tasty and somewhat unique. Be warned that each portion is quite small. My boyfriend and I ordered the: half dozen oysters, pork belly, scallops, and the seafood stew. We originally ordered just the first three based on our server's recommendations, but that wasn't enough.. and we are not massive eaters. So I would say the dishes are very pricey for the amount that you get.

    The atmosphere of the place is awesome. The variety of tables makes the place accommodating to all sorts of crowds - the two seater tables make for a great date-night spot and the booths make for a cozy group outing.. Not so sure about the communal tables in the middle though.

    Had the house pitcher of beer. Extremely tasty! But be warned it was really light on alcohol.

  • 1.0 star rating
    12/22/2009

    Sunday "Brunch"?

    Not even close. Worst Sunday brunch I have been to in Chicago. In fact, I don't know who would even consider this meal even close to brunch. And, it was so highly recommend to us too!

    I guess I should start off by saying, except for bacon, I don't like pork. I would never order pork chops and aside from big star, I don't consider pork belly delectable. But, at Publican, nearly everything on the menu is pork.... waffles with pork, french toast with pork, rye bread with pork, lettuce with pork, pork, pork, pork....

    Now: the experience. We arrived promptly for our 1:00 PM reservations, starving. They seated my girlfriend and I at the corner of a communal table. We were handed our menus and seconds later a cylindrical container filled with pork rinds. Our first thought was "sweeeet, free fried things like a Mexican restaurant"--followed closely by our second thought, "holy shit, these are pork rinds, I'm going to puke". It turns out that they mistakenly put them on the table. As it turns out, you actually have to ORDER and PAY for these things. Word to the wise: DON'T ORDER THE PORK RINDS if you have taste buds or are not married to a sibling or close cousin.

    After clearing up the pork rind mess, we ordered our drinks. Two OJs. What said "fresh squeezed" on the menu tasted dangerously close to Tropicana. And now that you know my feelings about pork, you can assume that we steered clear of pork items on the menu for our entrees. I ordered the pastrami short ribs with sweet potatoes, and my girlfriend ordered smoked trout with rye. On the side we ordered the fries with a fried egg on top. The pastrami turned out to be decent--very tender but not something I would typically categorize as a brunch item. The trout was bland and the accouterments were coleslaw-esque. We expected something similar to lox and cream cheese. The trout was thick and the creaminess of the side items were a little too much for brunch food. The fries actually never came (they did, however, make it to the bill...) so who knows how those taste.

    The service, as demonstrated by the misplaced pork rinds and the absence of our fries, lacked. Although there were many, many waiters, it seemed like we could never find ours.

    In my recommendation, if you're not from Arkansas and weigh over 300lbs, stay far, far away from brunch at the Publican.

  • 3.0 star rating
    7/11/2009

    Here's the thing. The fact that I can't bring myself to recall exactly what we ate save for a few things speaks VOLUMES-  I can recall the entire menu that we ate at Bristol on opening weekend!  What a beautiful space though-- the interior is amazing.  But VERY LOUD.  Like "can't hear the person next to you" loud.

    The food was good, but just good.  The basque stew was good but not worth the $18 we spent on it-- the crabmeat was tough from being overcooked and the mussels weren't that great either.  Beer selection was also good, but it's no Hopleaf.  I will HIGHLY recommend getting the Java Stout from a small brewery in Louisville-- quite possibly my most favorite stout ever, super smooth and chocolatey without tasting too sweet.  Service was just okay--  they're obviously very big on coming to the table every five minutes, which is something that drives me bonkers.  Don't ask to take my plate if there's still food on it.  And please don't ask more than once.  Also, not a big dessert menu--  would've been nice to have something sweet after all the beer.

    All in all, I recommend it, but maybe go during the happy hour and do small plates as a group.  For a special occasion out with me and my man, it wasn't anything spectactular.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/5/2011

    What is there to complain about.  I'll keep it simple.  German BEERS and MEAT.  Communal sitting, loud, and I love it.  Please don't go here and expect a pretty pink light and cute AX music.  That's all.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/5/2012

    My favorite brunch place in the city! Sort of pricey but worth every penny! I'm not even much of a pork lover but the bacon was cooked perfectly and the combination of sweet and savory made my taste buds tingle with joy!!  No one flavor overpowered the other.  Every entree was unique. I'm definitely gonna try the wine poached eggs next time. I'd also recommend the mimosas and bloody marys!

  • 1.0 star rating
    1/2/2012

    UGH!
    So upset we wasted our time here. We really like to enjoy our meals in Chicago, and this was a waste of a dinner during our short weekend trip.
    We were excited to try The Publican after falling in love with Avec, and really enjoying Big Star. So, we made reservations for a 10pm dinner at The Publican.
    We arrived a bit early, and we were shown to a table to stand at until our dining table was available. I'm sorry, but why can't they put some chair or stools or something in there? It would have been nice to relax during the time we had to wait.
    Finally, we are seated! YAY! But wait... Where is our waiter? No where to be found. And that pretty much went on for the whole meal. Awful service. Couldn't even remember our drink refills. SO THIRSTY!
    We started with pork rinds. Two thumbs down. Too much cheesy, seaosning crap on them to actually enjoy.
    Then, the taste of 3 hams. YUCK! NO! And this is coming from a girl who LOVES ham. This was awful.
    Sweet Potatoes. They were good if you took all of the seasoning off of them, too.
    Finally, the half chicken. It was fine. It was average chicken. Nothing special.
    We finished with two desserts. Both very forgettable. A waffle with preserves and a chocolate something.
    Don't waste your time here.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/26/2010

    I like David R.'s review of 4/26--we must have been drinking the same Kool-Aid, though our parties apparently did not order exactly the same things.

    My friend and I passed around a pistachio fig scone, weisswurst, hash browns with ramps, a pretzel, and an omelette with gruyere and trumpet mushrooms.  These were all excellent, though we did also get a totally forgettable (though not bad) sandwich with a fried egg and some meat which I won't bother to look up.

    The noise level was energetic but not uncomfortable (i.e., not a Blackbird migraine).  It was busy, but they seated us immediately at a nice table by the window as we'd requested.

    Service was friendly, professional, and attentive.  I hope I'm not getting anyone in trouble by mentioning that they gave us a free crumb cake when we asked for a second scone to take away but they were already out (not their fault, we didn't ask about a second one until we were ready to go).

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/26/2010

    Complaint #1 - Why does serving offal in Chicago correlate to prices that are at least 33% higher than they should be? I'd accept this as a tax for exceptional food, but none of us were wowed.

    Complaint #2 - Sharing plates are great, but get frustrating when the portions are this small. Exception seems to be the trough of chicken.

    On the plus side, I sat a few chairs down at a shared table from the guitarist for Anthrax last night... so I got that going for me.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/5/2009

    What to say about The Publican that hasn't been said before. Lets see? The guy that greeted me at the door told me that it used to be a sausage factory, then a basketball court for the people living upstairs. Thats kinda cool.

    The food, brilliant. The beer selection, interesting. The staff, helpful and friendly. The volume in the place, epic.

    At one point my dinner companion looked at me across the huge, family sized table and yelled, "I can't hear a damn thing you're saying."

    Prepare yourself for that and a really enjoyable dining experience.

  • 2.0 star rating
    7/13/2009

    Total disappointment. I was only in Chicago for two nights and was THRILLED to try out this place. Beer and pork? Check. Good press? Check. Experienced chefs and restauranteurs? Check.

    Yeah no.

    We had a 9PM reservation (on a weeknight) and weren't seated until 9:45. We waited in the loud-as-fuck main dining area and spent days trying to flag down someone--anyone--to take our beer order. Shouldn't have been that hard since every other person in the joint was a server. When we finally got someone to acknowledge us, it then took another 10 mins or so before we actually got our beers. When our table was finally ready, we were told we had to settle out our beer tab before we sat down rather than just transferring to the table. I flagged down three different waiters and asked for our check. Finally I told the last one, "If y'all wanna get paid, come find me at my table" as it had been another 10 mins and the rest of my party had long been seated.

    The food? Eh. We started out with the pork rinds and I dunno, they had a funky, funky taste about them, like perhaps the grease they were fried in was a touch too old. We got a variety of other pork dishes, including one that our server assured us was their specialty (potee--all meat in this dish, overcooked). Let me assure you, it was not. Everything was across-the-board disappointing; much of it was overcooked. My cousin ordered the vegetarian plate and it came 20 mins after all of us had gotten our food and it was all out-of-season vegetables. Turnips in summer? Really? Oh, and half of what we wanted they were out of.

    The server, to his credit, kicked us a few desserts, most of which were solid but not insanely good or anything.

    I'm bummed that this was one of my very few, very precious meals in Chicago. What a waste.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/2/2013

    I've been here three times since Publican opened, and I have to say it has excellent food.  Definitely start your meal off with a good beer (they have an extensive list) and the spicy pork rinds.   The halibut crudo and the mussels are a must.  The pork belly is mouthwatering and the chicken is perfectly roasted.  I would skip the country ham -- its flavors are unexciting.  For sides, the fries and the brussel sprouts are delicious.  I would definitely come back.  It is definitely a loud environment when the restaurant is full, so expect to have to raise your voice a bit to be heard.  Overall, it is an energy-filled environment with great food and great drinks.  I will come back.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/9/2009
    12 check-ins

    This past week I had the opportunity to go to the very hyped up restaurant The Publican. Finding The Publican can be tricky if you don't know where you're going. Its located in the West Loop in the Fulton Market area hidden next to factories and art galleries. There were six of us who went we had made a reservation so we had no problems getting seated.  I went there expecting The Publican to be kind of an upscale Hop Leaf. The Publican is not at all like Hop Leaf. Hop Leaf is a beer bar that happens to serve good food; The Publican is all about the food and just happens to have good beer.

    The atmosphere is rustic and noisy, you are seated at large communal tables with strangers sitting right next to you. I didn't mind the communal seating, it contributes to the whole dining experience. Once seated we began to look over the large beer menu. The menu is one large sheet of paper so much easier to read then the book Hop Leaf gives you. Most of the beers on the menu are belgian beers which can be confusing and difficult to figure out what to pick. As a result of that it makes it easy to go for the things you recognize like the Alpha King or Left Handed Milk Stout. But I was in the mindset of going out of my comfort zone so no matter how much I might of wanted a Goose Island Imperial IPA I wasn't going to do it. While looking over the menu I just needed to point out that our waitress was amazing and new a great deal about the beers on the menu. I finally picked the Witkap Pater Singel / Stimulo from Brouwerij Slaghmuylder. This was a great beer to start off the night with, refreshing and slightly sour and very drinkable. With first drinks out of the way the food started to pour in... we ordered a lot. Pork rinds, frites, sardines got us off to a decent start. The sardines were maybe my least favorite thing we ate that night but definitely weren't terrible. Next came out the duck heart, beef tongue, farm chicken, sea bass, and ribs. Hands down my favorite dish of the night was the duck heart. It is great that The Publican tries to use as many local farmers as they can for their meats and produce.

    With all this food coming out it was time for some more beer. Next up for me was the second beer in the abbey beers section, the Triple karmeliet by Brouwerij Bosteels. This was a great and complex beer, again a slight sour nose with orange and grass. A few more dishes of food came out and we chatted, ate and drank. Looking back I can't believe we almost didn't order a third beer but I'm so happy we did. For my last beer I decided to split the Aventinus Vintage 2003. This beer rocked and was maybe my favorite of the night. Over all it was an outstanding night at The Publican and I had a fabulous time eating and drinking some things I might of never tried. But in the end The Publican is really hyped up and I don't think it lives up to all the attention it gets. Sure it is great but the best meal I have ever had? I don't think I could say that. One of the most interesting meals, maybe. I could definitely see myself maybe stopping in for a drink and some pork rinds but I don't think I need to have a full meal. If you have some money to burn, then drink and eat like royalty for a night. At least you will be able to tell your friends you ate something crazy.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/4/2012

    Brunch was delicous!  We did not have reservation so waited for one hour on Sunday at 11:45. While waiting we had coffee, mimosa, sticky bun, zombie dust beer -- which made our 1 hour wait fly by.  I then had the wine poached eggs and my hubbie had the sirloin. We shared the waffle.  We ate so much food - it was delicious!!! I look forward to going back with friends but will make sure to make reservation.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/5/2013

    Late review. I was there last October. Amazing food!  A pork buffet heaven. Seated outside along the front of the restaurant but the inside tables built like a pig pen a must for next time.

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/15/2010
    Listed in Chicago

    I dined with Pip G. so you may have already read his well-deserved rant about the seafood chef stationed closer to the front of the house. Chefs should always be aware of their actions in the kitchen, but If you choose to have an open kitchen, the chefs should be hyper-aware. Nobody wants to see a stranger double-dip spoons in your food. Some things once seen cannot be unseen. Fortunately for me, I was seated at the head of their communal table, so my view was not at the kitchen but instead down the length of their dining room. I dined with blissful ignorance and was happy that we had not ordered any seafood.

    If I can focus on the other parts of our experience, I am a very happy camper. Spicy crispy pork skins and a tasty lambic (on draft) was a good way to start as we waited for our table. The pork belly, sweetbreads and beet salad were extremely flavorful. Our server was very helpful, recommending a good bottle of wine (2007 Banegas Sangiovese, organic, very old vines) that went well with everything.

    Five stars for the tasty food I experienced. One star for visible kitchen faux pas. I didn't drop dead from contamination, so I'm willing to meet halfway and go with three stars... but please inform the chef, "Miss Thing, we can see you!"

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/5/2013

    Try the sweetbreads and the rillete. oh, and start with the oysters. It's all so good.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/21/2010

    I've been to the Publican several times now and all I can say is - get thee to this ale house now! Every time I've been, the service has been impeccable. Even when I came for the restaurant week special, our server was extremely gracious and gave us a free tasting of 3 beers as we navigated the beer menu - practically uncharted territory for my girlfriend and I.

    The one thing that must come with every meal - the pork rinds. No joke. I hate pork rinds. But I there's only one place that I'll eat them - at the Publican. Another must is the waffle. Oh my...the waffle is so light and crispy. It's topped with this sweet honey butter and blueberry preserves. I've gotten it at every meal I had at the Publican and have never been disappointed.

    Brunch has to be my all-time favorite experience at the Publican. They have an excellent tea selection. I can't remember what I got last time, but my waiter basically described it as tasting like...dirt. But in a good way. I think he meant it had very earthy tones - which it did. The bloody mary is so different and so good. You get a small class of a light beer to chase your bloody mary with. Definitely a necessity. All the spices leave your stomach feeling warm and toasty.

    The artichoke omelette is very good as is the kielbasa. The food is very hearty but they serve you just the right amount. The mussels of course - you can never go wrong with those. I think I could survive Chicago by just eating at Publican, Blackbird, Avec and Big Star. What more could you need?

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/3/2012 Updated review

    I went to the Publican again a few weeks ago, for brunch this time after a girl's weekend and everyone was extremely happy with their meals. At the same time, we all agreed that while everything tasted great, our service was good (not great), and we had a good time, we probably wouldn't make it a point to come back again. Same experience my friends (a different group) had when we had dinner there a year ago. Good experience, good food that isn't necessarily found everywhere, but nothing special according to my group(s) of friends.

    3.0 star rating
    1/14/2011 Previous review
    Some friends suggested The Publican for dinner a few weeks ago and not really knowing too much about… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    11/15/2010

    Very solid establishment

    Has a mixed old school Chicago and modern day feel to it

    Very unique dining experience as well with the private booths surrounded by ultra long community tables

    Food was solid all around with some unique items you cannot find elsewhere

    The beer selection here is also insane

    If you like pork and you like beer, you cant miss this

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/14/2010

    You will sweat pork and beer after you eat here. Went with a good mate also from NYC who happened to be in Chicago for a work trip. Great looking space, an airy, open, and well-lit beer hall vibe with some communal seating, some great booths and a few regular tables at the front.

    Food was solid, beer selection is excellent (many trappistes and belgian ales). Amongst other things, we had the suckling pig, pork rinds, brussels sprouts and an excellent salad of beets and delicious burrata. We ended with some kind of house digestif which tasted like abinthe or chartreuse. Bad-ass man dinner.

    Also, the waitress was gorgeous and very friendly. We chatted about her Vietnamese roots and travels to South East Asia. It was a great experience and I'd go back again.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/26/2009

    The Publican has become one of my favorite brunch places, especially when meeting friends.  Seating arrangements here are pretty unique: you either sit at the communal tables, or sit at the booth with 'barn' doors.
    From the huge hog paintings on the wall, it is pretty obvious that their main specialty is pork.  Some of the brunch items that I have really enjoyed include the boudin noir and the smoked pork chop.  Make sure to ask for Sriracha hot sauce on the side!  The pork rinds and thick cut bacon are also great sides to have.
    In terms of dinner, I have only tried their Sunday prix fixe dinner.  Though it says $45 per person, a group of us ordered just 2 sets, and got some additional items off the menu.  Overall, the food was good (though they had to change out one of the items at the last minute because 'they ran out of ingredients'), but I felt it was a bit overpriced.  I will probably stick to brunch.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/16/2010

    I now dream about this restaurant.

    Love the atmosphere, attitude, food, drink...there is seriously nothing wrong with this place.

    Pork rinds are a must.  And I love that they even included pork rinds in their menu.  All their food is totally accessible, yet made and served with thought and class.

    The bathrooms were really cool too- went along with the communal feel of everything.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/3/2012

    Took my girlfriend to eat here last week and absiolutely loved it.
    We sat at the communial tables, which was great because the couple next to us made a fantastic menu recommendation.  

    We did a half order of oisters, half order of mussels, half order of the charcuterie plate and then an order of the country ribs. (Keep in mind, they do change the menu daily).

    The seafood and meats were all excellent.  Everything was cooked to perfection.

    I have been recommending this place to everyone I know since I ate there.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/12/2010

    I have found my new favorite restaurant.  I cannot recall going to a restaurant that was so tasty and so cheap.  I really cannot say enough nice things about this place.  

    Their beer list is pretty impressive.  I was drinking a Russian style porter, that was ~10% and it was $5 a beer.  $5 for a microbrew is cheap anywhere in the city, and it is really an extra bonus for the Publican.  If you go to the Publican, get the sweetbreads.  They are far and away the best sweetbreads I have ever had.  Also, the pork rinds are very good and only $5.  

    My only complaint is the old fashion booths that they shut you up in.  Being a broad shouldered person, I am not a fan.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/1/2009

    I am a fan!

    Great bourbon - check!
    Fantastic beer list - check!
    Amazing menu with adventurous options - check!
    Great service - check!
    Awesome, hip atmosphere - check!
    Parking - no prob!

    I realize this is an uber hip joint and it's in an uber hip part of town, but  I really wish it didn't have to be so darn expensive. But it is what it is.  This isn't a place I'd go to a bunch, but I would go more if I had that kinda cash...it's a place I will continue to go for special occasions and when visitors come into town.

    Check it out - it's worth treating yourself...I went last night and can't stop dreaming of the beets with ricotta and those country ribs.....mmmm....

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/9/2011

    Simply delightful.  Amazing choices, cool atmosphere, great service - What's not to like? Meat-centric dining but the vegetables were the standouts to me.  Had a true Seaonsal Fall dining experience.  We tried the 3 Hams, Ribs, Homemade Pork Rinds, Brussel Sprouts, Acorn Squash, Cauliflower, Cheeses for dessert, Beer, Wine...really enjoyed ALL of it.  Not a clunker in the bunch.  Farm fresh, slightly European in feel...  Energetic atmosphere but still laid back at the same time.  Portions can be manipulated to eat a multi-course meal or just to enjoy small plates with some drinks.  If you haven't been what are you waiting for?

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/15/2009

    Have been to The Publican several times now over the past month so I feel qualified to review it.

    I absolutely love The Publican for brunch and dinner, it's generally quite busy but they run such a smooth operation that you're never waiting very long for a table. Two weeks ago I had an incredibly delicious onion and ricotta tart. I've had a couple beers here based on the very knowledgeable recommendations from the servers which were great, and everyone I've been with that drinks bloody mary's won't shut up about how good they are. The food is delicious and the service is impeccable so I think The Publican is my favorite place in my neighborhood now!

  • 2.0 star rating
    6/27/2011

    I don't know if I'm just a pork hater or what, but our table of four all disliked the food at this place.  The beer and ambiance was killer but could barely get some of that food down.  I usually have no problem eating diverse choice in food, but I had real trouble with the food here.  We even used Yelp to decide on what to order. Service was great.  Maybe go for a beer and try yourself.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/29/2011

    Decided to celebrate my 21st birthday there.  Food and drink were delicious, and server was helpful but not overbearing.  Fries topped with a fried egg were delicious, as were the mussels.

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/20/2009

    This little Piggy went to Fulton Market...

    I am one big food whore. And last week, I got porked. Hard.
    Oh, Publican. I've been longing to experience you for so long, and I didn't even know what you had in store.
    This place was all the rage on Yelp and beyond, so it mattered not what was on the menu -- I had to try it.
    But I couldn't afford it myself, so naturally I had to wait until a date suggested we try it. Glorious, that worked out for me. (God, I really AM a food whore.)

    When I found out the menu featured beer, shellfish and pork, I was actually a little nervous. Three things I know next to nothing about and rarely seek out on my own. But I went with a capable companion who was practically a pro.
    We skipped the oysters and seafood entirely, so we could focus on the main event: oink, oink, oink.
    (Note: If you're vegan, what the HELL are you doing within five blocks of Publican? Get a clue and go to Handlebar or something.)
    We had the "pickles," which date liked best but I found a bit revolting, a platter of three different hams, a pork shoulder and chorizo stew, sauteed ramps with mint and walnuts, and a beet salad that was beets and aioli. Andthatsit.

    From the crusty bread and fabulous butter that started the meal to the last bite of beet, the food was nice, with great flavor. (Another note: If you don't like salt, run away. Now. I'd personally eaten a Lean Cuisine at lunch and was just getting started with my sodium intake.)
    We also had a big bottle of beer -- inhumanly large, really; only wine should come in containers that big -- that went nicely with everything we ate. But I could have been drinking anything and thought it paired well. So.

    Overall, I did enjoy the Publican for the experience. The decor took barnyard chic to a new level; I found the "booths" along the restaurant's perimeter especially entertaining (the tops of the patrons' heads were BARELY visible over their stable-door confines). And there were paintings of abnormally large hogs adorning the walls.
    You can read any number of other reviews for more insight on the interior.

    My biggest beef (er, pork?) with the Publican: the crowd. I say this with as much love as I can muster, but the place seemed full of trend whores. And not in the charming, curious way that I am (though I may be biased). I didn't feel cool enough to be at Publican.
    The high-top tables, corral-style booths and long, communal tables were all filled with incredibly fashionable, incredibly loud people. They were jovial and obnoxious and, though they waved at me from down the table when we were seated, clearly did not give one shit that they made normal conversation completely impossible for the rest of us. Meaning me.

    As I write this review, it seems I am growing less and less excited about the Publican, so I'm going to end this on a high note. Despite the fact that I couldn't figure out which stall to use in the semicommunal bathroom area, they did have soap and hand lotion from C.O. Bigelow near the cleaning troughs. I mean sinks.
    Still, I went weeeeeeeeee, wee, wee-wee-wee-wee ALL the way home.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/5/2012

    The Publican was the best brunch spot we visited on our brief trip to Chicago. Tucked away off the main drag, but worth the trip! If you like bacon, you will love The Publican!

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/4/2010

    I went here for Sunday brunch.  Our friends really built it up as an amazing brunch experience, so I had lofty expectations going in.  I had no idea what the restaurant was about and I wanted to keep it that way.  Once I walked in and saw the giant pig-themed decor, I knew I was in for something special.

    The menu was small but intriguing.  There were few interesting drink options.  I went with the Publican "Mimosa", which uses a beer rather than champagne.  It was a really nice change of pace and a great way to start off brunch.  I ordered the sausage dish with a side of the honey-glazed bacon.  I expected a giant portion, but was pleased to see that it was much more reasonable than expected.

    My biggest gripe about the experience would center around the service.  Sitting at the cafeteria style communal table, we felt we were largely ignored by our waitress that focused more on the "pen" booths.  We had to constantly flag her down to get some service and we also had issues when it was time for the bill.  However, the coffee replenishing was top notch.

    Overall, the food was tasty and different enough from the standard brunch fare to warrant a visit.  It's not TOO overpriced and the ambiance provides a unique experience.  They need to work on their service a bit.

  • 2.0 star rating
    1/3/2013

    went there early on a sat (no res) but it didtn look that busy. we were put at a small bar table, no stools and given pub menu.  expensive snacks. Expensive beer and wine. not reallly worth it in my book.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/18/2009

    If a restaurant is trendy and doesn't have good food, I don't get it.

    I get The Publican.  It's trendy, yeah, and filled with hipsters, yeah.  But the food is just really good, and that's why you should go, even if you're not a hipster (like me, not a hipster).  First of all, if you're interested in beer, the beer list is extensive and very interesting.  Secondly, there is a separate HAM menu, which if you like fine hams, is incredibly awesome.  Thirdly, there is an assortment of small and large plates to choose from, and that lends itself well to trying lots of different things, which is fun.  Yeah, there's a lot of pig on the menu, but is that bad?  I guess if you don't like pig...

    We tried a bunch of things: the ham sampler (awesome), the daily pickles (tasty and fun), the pea sformato (weird and delicious), the fries (sans egg, but yummy and served with a luscious garlic aioli), the skirt steak with feta (perfectly seasoned and lovely with a bite of everything on the plate), the country ribs (by FAR my favorite dish of the night.  Simply gorgeous.), and the potee (which I didn't care for; too mustardy, kinda bland as far as the meat).  We tried a lot, and liked a lot.  

    I'd go back.  This isn't gonna be in my normal rotation of restaurants, and I doubt I'd want to go more than once or twice a year.  But it's good enough to go back.

  • 3.0 star rating
    6/20/2011

    This place is loud, as hell... so if your looking to actually talk to your guests this isn't the best choice.they have a very extensive beer list. the food was pretty good, but i don't think its a place i would dine again. its great for the experience but not a repeat

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/25/2010

    One of the best meals I've ever had. And they have big bottles of beer -- BEER! -- in addition to the wine, cocktails and regular beer. The menu and beer list are a little overwhelming, but in that, holy crap, I have to have everything kind of way. Service was great.

    The food -- we had a salad, grilled squid, shortribs and mussels. Everything was delicious and enormous. You could have rolled us out of there.

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/31/2010

    I was excited to head to the Publican last weekend for dinner with some friends and must admit I was slightly disappointed by the experience.  We had reservations at 9:30 but still ended up having to wait for our table maybe 30 minutes.  At least they checked our coats when we headed in so we didn't have to lug them around while we waited with drinks.  I had to leave a credit card and was told I would be charged if we canceled our reservation.  I am ok with whatever policy  they have, but I was not expecting this.  We ordered a lot of things.  My favorites - the mussels, frites and pork belly.  Honestly, I was disappointed in the pork rinds that everyone else raved about.  Maybe that just isn't my palate.  Overall, fun evening though!

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 5.0 star rating
    3/18/2012

    Best meal I've had in a LONG time - absolutely delicious!  I cannot wait to go back!

  • 2.0 star rating
    10/7/2009 Updated review

    Ok, I'm downgrading you.  Your gem salad as tasty as it was was WAY oversalted last night.  I still love the textures and the flavors of this but I love salt and I found this much too saline.

    Your boudin blanc - was boudin bland!! It needed some sort of fancy mustard to go with it.

    BBQ Pork - still very tasty but came out medium well - whereas last time, it was medium and it was superb!

    Rind - ate them before - love them - this time, not so much!

    Service was soooo slow...and for some reason, I think it must have been a very off night. I heard dishes and glasses crashing to the ground at least three times!!

    3.0 star rating
    8/30/2009 Previous review
    I'm going to give this place a 3.5 because I wasn't blown away.  When I spend $75 per person and we… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    6/3/2009

    Wow! wow. Yumyumyumyumyum!

    Even on a Monday night, this place was hopping! We got to sit in one of the booths, or "pens" as we called it...you'll see why! The beer menu is longer than the food menu and the draft beers we tried were all great! We all split the chef's selection of mussels, the pork rinds, the roasted chicken, three hams, duck ravioli, and country ribs. Not one thing disappointed (though I don't care one way or the other for pork rinds...just doesn't do it for me). The mussels were so good and were served with a delicious vinaigrette. The summer sausage that came with the chicken was amazing.

    This a really fun place to come. It's sort of like a modern version of a German beer hall. The ceilings are very high (it is pretty loud in there), there is a long, long bar, and lots of communal tables. Oh, and I loved the communal sink at the bathrooms!

  • 1.0 star rating
    11/9/2009

    So I had really high hopes for The Publican. I mean who doesn't like pork and oysters and beer?

    And in terms of the beer selection this place was decent. I still think that Hopleaf in Andersonville is tops... but this place is no slouch.

    My real qualm was with the seating (a pseudo euro style nightmare) and the service which managed to be not only pretentious but also unhelpful and harried in an annoying way... what other way is there... I suppose but still.

    I think that perhaps The Publican is trying a little bit too hard. I mean I am all for a pork based menu and I will say that the pork rinds were fantastic, but was it worth it??

    A resounding no is sadly the answer. This place tries and just doesn't make it. I suggest that if you want heavy germanic-american food centered on pork products and high in fat with a side of beer you should head to The Berghoff, or Chicago Brauhaus in Lincoln Square!

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/19/2010

    Went to the Publican last Thursday for dinner and drinks.  The restaurant set up was rather interesting.  Communal tables for dining as well as private booths that had doors to get in and out of.  First time I've ever seen this.  Bathroom was also quite interesting.  Theres a communal sink for men and women and six seperate M/W restrooms.  Poor tipsy girl tried to follow me into one.  Kind of amusing.  
    Now on to the food and beverages- we enjoyed a nice bottle of pinot noir and since we had just been to the Girl and the Goat for a drink we werent all that hungry.  Had the frites topped with the fried egg to start.  Yum!  We also had the quail and scallops.  Both were great and perfectly cooked.
    Overall, we had a great time.  Not sure I will be back though as there are so many places that are similar in the area.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/14/2009

    The Publican is definitely a treat. I enjoyed everything from the decor to the service and most importantly, the food.

    My friend pointed out that the booths look like pig trofs...which is fitting for the menu. It's not that it's all pork items...but you definitely have your choice of some meaty dishes. The rest of the seating is community style - and we ended up having a lot of fun talking with some visitors to Chicago. Oh! And there is padding underneath the tables which is such a nice touch. There is definitely a barn-like vibe going on overall, but it's the kind of barn that you can wear heels to.

    The food was great. We had the beet salad with ricotta cheese, sashimi tuna with minced celery (a great combo that I'm already craving), white sausage with apples and truffles, and suckling pig with artichoke and sweet potatoes. I can't wait to go back and try more dishes.

    The service was very attentive. My water glass was never empty.

    I'm already planning my next visit and it will probably be for a Sunday beer dinner. Did I mention it was still crowded on a Tuesday night at 9;15? Yum city.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/30/2010

    Top notch establishment that serves both great food and drinks. Fun atmosphere that works well for group gatherings, provided you make reservations ahead of time.

    The servers are a helpful, if not eclectic, bunch who will eagerly and expertly answer questions as vague as, "what do you recommend on the drink menu?" Everything on the menu I tried was excellent and I recommend sticking with the meats, as that is what they are known for. My group decided to share everything, which was a wise move.

    Also, the bathrooms are really neat. Just sayin'.

  • 2.0 star rating
    7/29/2009

    Honestly - if you are going for a couple light apps and beer, this place MIGHT just do it for you.  The bread and trio of hams were delish as an appetizer and the salad, "Little Gem Salad" was delightful as well.  Several tables in view had ordered the oysters which looked FABULOUS.

    I wish I could say the same for the uninspired, tired entrees.  The Potee could have just as well been prepared in a novice kitchen - the flavors were nothing fascinating except for the wonderful drizzle of garlic creme dancing around the pork loin.  Overall, the whole dish was too salty overpowering most of the other flavors and tastes.  The second entree that was ordered was the hen - the meat was dry and the broccoli was too salty - SAD!!!  

    I really, really wanted to LOVE this place as I took my husband here for his birthday (doesn't it seem like a carnivore beer drinkers dream?!!)...but, alas, we left disappointed by the food - quality of the entrees did not match the pricepoint!!!  

    Decor is minimilastic and in line with the whole European Ale-house feel.  It's SUPER loud in the restaurant and therefore not ideal if you are looking for a romantic meal.  Service was a highlight - the server was very knowledgeable about the menu and beers, however, this is probably not enough to make me "repeat" the experience.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/6/2009

    I'm easy. You had me at Avec.

    My wife and I along with a seven month baby and two of our friends enjoyed a lovely brunch. The booth they offered was too small for all of us along with the kid in a car seat, so we moved to the communal table. Just perfect - the staff plopped the car seat on top of an upside down baby seat and the ambiant noise was just good enough to keep the kid calm.

    Service was attentive and the food was delicious. The standout was a side of braised bacon. Delicious perfection. My wine poached egg (benedict) was delicious.

    Hope to go back for dinner.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/11/2009

    Extensive beer list?  Check.  Awesome raw bar?  Check.  Variety of pork cuts?  Check.  Three for three equals epic win.

    I had the oyster sampler and it was an orgiastic journey through bivalve mollusk heaven.  Yes, those slimy, briny sea creatures!  Some, like the kumamoto were crisp and clean while others, like rappahannock were rather creamy.  Mussels were lightly salty, but the real kicker was the broth.  We were provided a loaf of crusty bread to mop up the buttery broth.

    The real celebrity of Publican is the meat selection.  Say what you will about the beer and the seafood, but the meats provided, specifically of the pork variety, are heavy-hitters.  We had an order of the Potee and we were undone.  A barrage of sausage, tenderloin and veal breast.  Gawd...

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/12/2012
    1 check-in

    I had very high expectations when I went to The Publican with some friends last night.   Honestly I was a little disappointed, but I would still go back and try out their brunch.  I think my favorite dish might have been the dessert - some kind of toasted waffle with ice cream.  It was delicious!

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/13/2009

    Pork is your friend here at The Publican.  Your very close, personal friend.

    To the tune of .... When the waiter arrives back at our table of 9, carrying 3 plates he proudly states "and some pork for the ladies" ... Yep, the guys ordered up fish dishes ... Ummmmmm, pass!  We'll take the pork.... Now if they only had bacon ... ;)

    The beer list could make you faint of heart - at the very least, incredibly intimidating.  It's like going out on a first date with the hottest guy (or girl) you know and being dumbed speechless at the mere look of him/her ... Yep, that's the beer list here!  Save yourself some embarrassment, ask your server their recommendation.  Ours served up a stellar selection.  

    To wrap this up, here are some of the dishes we enjoyed:

    Chef's Selection of Oysters - always a goodie

    Chef's Selection of Three Hams - take that

    Boudin Blanc - Becker Lane Organic Farm, Dyersville, Iowa: Apple, celery root and orange mustard (basically a delectable sausage) - yep, more pork

    Steak Tartare - Meyer Ranch, Blackfoot Valley, Montana: George's organic egg and frites - not my favorite dish here, but tasty

    Ham Chop in Hay - Becker Lane Organic Farm, Dyersville, Iowa: Bird Mill grits and piperade (really really sinfully porktastic goodness)

    Oink ...

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/19/2009

    WOW - not much here to complain about folks.
    I was lucky enough to be in a  
    group of men that knew the owner and chef and had literally the entire menu ordered and consumed with our Belgium beers.

    Even the damn Pork Rynes are insanely tasty and not what you expect.

    Everything about this joint is awesome - the noisy space, the restrooms, the entire menu

    YUM

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/21/2009

    The Pulbican represents everything I could ever want in a restaurant. The lighting is perfect, the space is beautiful and the food is beyond reproach.

    I am proponent of meals being a communal experience and love the European seating at lengthy picnic tables. Unfortunately my fiancee and I were seated at a corner of our table and so we did not have the opportunity to share our treats or have others share with us. Maybe next time.

    The standard oysters were delicious paired with Goose Island's new Saison "Sophie" but the charcuterie plate was what made my night. The head cheese was good, nothing to write home about, but the handmade sausages were stunning with the house mustards. Also on the charcuterie plate were two pieces of "pork pie." A bite of this miracle food reduced me to tears. Literally. I was covering my face and I think my fiancee thought I was laughing until I looked up and was wiping tears away.

    Our entree and desserts were equally outrageous--Crispy pork shoulder with chorizo (wonderful--not over the top) and clams was really elegant despite what one might expect from such a dish. Our dessert of a waffle with Poached Rhubarb will forever be in my mind due to the airy, crispy texture of the waffle. It was a plain waffle that is maybe the only waffle I will ever remember having eaten. This was washed down with Three Floyd's Rabbid Rabbit--a Saffron infused ale. I cannot say enough about what may now be not only my favorite Paul Kahan restaurant, but one of my favorite restaurants overall...

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/17/2011

    One of my favorite breakfasts in Chicago, perhaps just because they'll serve me beer (several) at noon. The red wine poached egg was perfect; the pomegranate pumpkin bread moist, and the cinnamon roll right on.

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/3/2009

    Here's the deal:

    Gold Coast meets Medieval Times.

    You're sitting at a long communal wooden table, sharing various meaty pleasures and guzzling worldly beers. Doesn't sound too bad, eh?

    For being a place with pretentious prices, it's not exactly a calming atmosphere. The place is loud loud LOUD and when our party of 6 stepped outside after the meal, it was the first time in 2.5 hours we could all hear each other talk. I dunno, I'd like to have conversations with the people I eat dinner with? Maybe, I'm like, too retro for this particular dining concept.

    Ohh, but the food--the food was fantastical, meaty pleasure after pleasure. We had the trio of hams, the sweetbreads (horrified and charmed), the short ribs, the salmon, the bourdin blanc, the fish stew, the chicken--OHHHHH--the chicken. I have to say, the bourdin blanc was hands down the best sausage I have ever put in my mouth (I know what you're thinking...) But srsly. With that spicy mustard? I could have eaten sausage after sausage after sausage. And the chicken was some of the most tender, well-seasoned poultry I've ever had the pleasure of putting in my mouth. Well done, there.

    So I think that if I ever do return, I'll do a couple things differently:

    a) Reserve a booth to hopefully intimatize (it's a word, right?) the experience
    b) Ignore parts of the menu (READ: brain)
    c) Eat a salad beforehand so my body doesn't go into meat-induced shock.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/8/2012

    This was a perfect Sunday morning brunch spot. Bright and airy and wonderful food. We shared the ricotta and honey plate. The pistachios made this dish. Wife had the red wine poached egg and I had the confit of pork sammy. Wonderful, well executed food in a beautifully designed location.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/29/2010

    The Publican is definitely going to be my go-to restaurant for entertaining out of towners from now on.

    We ordered, well, a little bit of everything, and everything was delicious.

    The beer list is no joke.

    My only complaint was our pretentious waiter. Give me a break dude, it's just pork. Delicious pork, yes, but just pork.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/27/2010

    If you're like me, you only eat at places like this once in a blue moon and want to get the most bang for your buck. Just skip over the rest of the menu and head straight for the meat. The rest of the menu is great, but everything is very expensive.

    I love the seafood options. The oysters are so good. Bright, salty, and soft. Everything you want in a good oyster. The Provencal fish stew is warm and hearty. The mussels put the Hop Leaf's to shame. Nary a chewy bit in the bowl.

    But nothing tasted as good as the meat: farm chicken, Wagyu sirloin, country ribs, porchetta. This is the stuff meaty dreams are made of. Farm chicken is a great value; large, filling, delicious. The porchetta is like eating the chop and stomach of a monster pig. Somehow I was both repulsed and intoxicated by the flavor. This would be excellent to share between four or more people. Sharing it with one person was overwhelming. The Wagyu steak is fantastic. I just wished there had been more of it.

    The restaurant is very nice, but you can go in jeans and a T-shirt and feel comfortable. I like the way the bathrooms are set up - FYI, the woman's restroom on the far right has its own sink and mirror. The staff is very knowledgeable and friendly.

    One weird thing: they require a credit card to hold reservations and charge you if someone doesn't make it and you don't inform them in advance. I'm not really sure why they have this policy. It wasn't a problem for me since my group was fairly small, but I was kind of anxious about someone not showing up.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/7/2009
    1 check-in

    Loud up scale beer hall.

    Love this place but it is not for the weak at heart ...you know the ones that go to the same chain restaurant every Saturday because those are the wings they really like not those foo-foo ones.

    This place is full of the rarely seen proteins, the menu makes the oysters seem like a food staple ... there is bone marrow, pork rinds, blood sausage, beef heart and sweetbreads.

    If I haven't lost you, then there is also an amazing beer list. Yeah, I know what goes better with pork rinds than a great beer!  

    I have been there for dinner: lots of great hams and tons of beer.
    I went for Sunday brunch ... the food was even better than the dinner menu, I thought, and the Bloody Maries were so good ... they have little bits of veggies ...yummy it's like a drinkable soup!

    I would not recommend this place for a romantic date...it is not a romantic room ... it is communal seating...I have to be honest, I don't get this trend I hope it goes away ...I would rather have one of those situations where there is only a few inches between tables...Anyway maybe someone can make me understand the appeal. Regardless it is a great place to have a nice beer and snacks with many friends that don't mind speaking up!

    Bonus: The Host totally looks like Vincent Chase from Entourage

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/22/2011

    Its a nice restaurant. The atmosphere is nice and the food is good. However, for what you pay, I feel that you may have a better dining experience at other restaurants in the West Loop.

  • 3.0 star rating
    6/28/2009
    Listed in Fancy Pants Meals

    I have been dying to make it over to the Publican.  An opportunity finally presented itself for a friend's birthday, so off we went.  

    We dined on a Sunday evening, which is an interesting night at the Publican.  They have a pre-set, family style menu that runs $45 a person.  There was an appetizer course, a cheese course, a meat course, and a dessert course.  You also get a complimentary beer.  There is also an add-on menu that has a few of the dishes on their regular menu, but it's not a huge selection.  

    We started out with a plate of meats, headcheeses, and sausages for an appetizer.  This was one of the highlights of the meal - the meats were all smoky and delicious.  When I thought of headcheese, I thought of the rubbery gross stuff served at the deli at Jewel.  Not here, though.  It was light and delicious and not at all rubbery like I remembered.  We also had a side of frites, which were delicious - crispy and served with a nummy aioli.  

    For the appetizer course, we had a duck liver bruschetta.  I thought it was going to be like a pate, but the plump little livers were actually served on toast with greens.  And man, were they good.  This was the course I was most weary of going in (as I'm not a big pate person), but man, was it yummy.

    The cheese course was a ricotta cheese served almost like a flan.  This fell flat for everyone at the table - it wasn't really flavorful at all.  

    The meat course was a guinea hen with crawfish that was really, really good.  The hen was cooked perfectly and was so incredibly flavorful.  

    The dessert course was chocolate gelato with bacon brioche.  This was my least favorite dish - the bacon brioche just really didn't do it for any of us.  It just tasted like smoky, burned toast.  

    The other big thing that bugged me was the portion sizes.  For $45 a person, I don't think I should be leaving and still be hungry, but I was.  I'm not a big "ZOMG MY MEAL MUST BE HUGE!" type, but the portions were just tiny.  

    The beer selection was wonderful, and service was impeccable.  I think I'd like to go back on a nite when they didn't have the pre-set dinner and try something on the everyday menu.  There's a lot of potential, but it just didn't really hit the spot for me this time - especially at the price point it was at.

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/3/2009

    I would wholeheartedly recommend Publican for a good beer and a fabulous pretzel.  I loved the selection of Flemish reds, and the homemade pretzel was divine.  However, for dinner, it was pretty disappointing.

    The seafood I found excellent, but the meat was disappointing.  Also disappointing were the "spicy" pork rinds.  They didn't taste like much at all.  Most upsetting was the fact that we ordered one dish, but were brought another because they had run out of the first.  We weren't told that they had run out, or asked if we'd like something else instead.  Rather, they just brought us something else.  

    I think this is a great place to go to drink a rare beer and feel trendy, but spend your money on dinner somewhere else.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/30/2009

    My girlfriend and I had a couple friends who had moved back to Pittsburgh about a year ago in town over the July 4 weekend. One of them is a waiter at a really nice restaurant there and he heard about The Publican and asked me about it about a month before they came in. I made reservations immediately. Both of us are really into pork and he is a huge fan of offal meats. Personally, being a cook, I like most that I have tried and am willing to try just about anything. The Publican's menu and beer list seemed perfect for us.

    I will not go into crazy detail about the menu items, especially since they seem to change quite often, but I will say everything was incredible. We tried many different things from fish to duck heart and it was all delicious. The most surprising dish was definitely the duck heart and liver. It was amazingly good. The sweetbread was also very nice. The beers were outstanding and paired so well with the style and atmosphere of this beautiful restaurant. It was one of the best meals, and times, we have had for quite a while.

    Going in to The Publican, I had heard some horror stories about bad service. I will say that our server was incredible. He was very attentive without being annoying and he constantly was bringing us free drink samples to taste and explaining things to us if we were unsure. It was an amazing experience and I would certainly enjoy going back. I wish my wallet and my blood pressure could afford me the luxury of eating there every week, but alas.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/31/2010

    I was really impressed by the incredible service at the Publican.  Everyone was attentive, but not annoying.  We just stopped by for one drink and a couple apps., and they got us in and out quickly but we didn't feel rushed.  It was great!

    We had a couple beers with the bacon sampler plate (don't remember the name).  Salty goodness!  We also had the fries with eggs.  Weird but delicious.  

    I'll definitely go back for dinner when I have more time!

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/25/2010

    As an avid lover of pork, I was very excited for my first dine at the Publican. I spent a few days prior to my arrival perusing the menu. I had my heart set firmly on the Suckling Pig. You can't go wrong with a little baby piglet. Yum. I also had a chance to check out Publican's stellar beer selection. Saison Dupont? "Holy Santa Claus shit," I said. My wife was not particularly excited, especially after I explained to her exactly what a suckling pig was, very specifically I might add. She seemed negatively focused on the intense amount of meat on the menu, despite a dedicated section titled "Vegetable." I offered to order for her, which she accepted. Upon arrival at the restaurant, I noticed that the sucking pig was no longer on the menu. I was pretty bummed until I saw the words "Pork Belly" in it's place. Pork belly? Yes, please.

    The country ribs seemed a perfectly safe order for my wife, so I didn't spend a lot of time reviewing more of the menu. As we sat observing our surroundings and waiting on the first round of beer, we noticed the oysters coming by our table frequently. We ended up ordering the kumamoto, which were fantastic.

    My pork belly was flawless. I have zero complaints.  The explosion of flavor left me mostly speechless. My wife's country ribs were flavorful, tender, moist and juicy; at least the first one was. Later after I'd inhaled my pork belly, I had another off her plate and found it considerably drier than the first.

    There are a couple of things I don't like about Publican. First, I don't like family style dining. I'm too selfish with my food to want to watch someone else eat what I've chosen, only to fill my hunger void with whatever crap they order. Second, I don't dig the seating arrangement. It's beautiful inside to be sure, but what's up with the pigpen booths? I'm not normally a claustrophobic person, but I did NOT like being boxed in like that at all. You can't sit with the booth doors open, so if you're not into it, your other choice is to sit in the goofy square community-style seating area. Here you get to sit right next to people that you don't know. Fun! Not. The food and beer more than made up for the uncomfortable seating, however.

    The other couple we dined with had warned us about reported complaints of small portions and being left hungry. These complaints must be setting in with the restaurant because our server was very clear about how the menu is laid out by portion size, from smallest to largest as you work your way down. This was good to know.

    Go get your pork on!

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/2/2010

    Two words - pork rind
    the best damn pork rind.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/25/2010

    I had an overall great time at Publican.  I met a few friends there after work.  We shared a few plates, and although I wouldn't recommend this restaurant to anyone who's starving (at least not without a hard hit to the wallet), it's a perfect place to feel comfortably full.  Though the portion sizes are on the smaller side, the food will blow you away.  The truffle fries and the strawberry salad were both wonderful, as were the oysters.  If you're eating with a sizeable number of friends, the oysters are a great option.

    Paul Kahan's design concept for this restaurant is inspiring.  You'll find communal tables as with Avec.  Publican, however, is a little more rustic - the booths are even created to look like stables.  It's all done with an upscale touch, and it really did contribute to a fantastic dining experience.  

    It's a popular place, so I would not recommend going without a reservation.  I can't wait to go back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/18/2010

    Brunch: the Publican does it perfectly.

    My girlfriend and I had a really hard time choosing just one entree each, so we made up for that by ordering two sides. I food-gasmed over everything - the finger-licking spicy pork rinds, the flaky waffle with blueberry preserves and honey butter, the melt-in-your-mouth, thick-as-all-get-out maple syrup-cured bacon. My lady's egg custard - which came with some kind of smoked fish that I can't remember the name of - practically brought me to my knees.

    Finish that off with a perfectly-crafted mimosa and there are only four words I can think to say: "See you next Sunday."

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/20/2010
    Listed in Happy Hangovers

    My wonderful boyfriend decided to take me to brunch on Sunday and said he had heard good things about the brunch at the Publican. I only had one question, "Do they make good Bloody Marys?" We found a picture of one of their Marys online and it looked decent, so he made us a reservation.

    The Publican is laid out like a German beer hall, with a large horseshoe shaped communal table. They also have a number of two tops and these cozy little shut in booths. When we arrived for our reservation, we were promptly seated at a private two person table.

    Someone came by immediately and filled our water glasses and left the cool bottle of water on our table and someone else came by with delicious coffee.  Definitely what we needed first thing on Sunday morning!

    Our waitress was prompt and friendly, delivering our Bloody Marys with a beer back (just as every good Mary should be -- I got the lager -- yummy!) The Mary itself was smaller than I've gotten at other restaurant, with pickles, green beans and well, pickles and green beans. Not the best "accessories" but the vodka was plentiful and it was just spicy enough.

    My boyfriend ordered the red wine poached egg and I got the fried French Toast. His eggs were delicious and there was this delicious cream cheese type sauce on the bottom of the toast that was just fantastic. My French toast was creamy and delicious (though I should have asked for more syrup -- such a little bit they give you! I'm a sugar fiend though so maybe that's just me) and the maple sausage that came with my toast was melt in your mouth delicious.

    Our plates were cleared promptly after we were done and the check delivered soon after that. The service was friendly and without fault and the food was delicious! I'd definitely go back again.

  • 2.0 star rating
    4/7/2009

    I'm sure the beer is fine here (provided they have them all, which they did not) but don't expect a meal worth its cost.
    I ate there a few weeks ago and I still taste the awful oysters I got every time I burp.
    The pork rinds are better at a gas station, the cured meat platter is an insult, and the din in this place is like a grade school cafeteria.  I had to lean in to hear my friends every time they complained about the food.
    I flew in all the way from Miami for this?

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/15/2010

    Realized I never did a review even though I came here about a year ago. I think I'm due back for round 2!

    Took my BF for his birthday last April and it was phenomenal! We ordered Belgian micro-brews, which were both wonderful. I hate to admit we didn't experience more of their fabulous selection, but we had just come from a Goose Island beer & cheese tasting sipping faves like Juliet (which was on the Publican's beer menu for ~$30 a glass!). The beer menu is EXTENSIVE!  If you know a beer guru, bring him/her with you!

    Started with a dozen oysters...I was in heaven. An oyster is not just an oyster. The Publican has an outstanding selection, each with its own size, texture and flavor. They are accompanied with a malt vinegar. Loved the pairing!

    Next was the potted pork rillettes with country toast. OMG. This was one of faves of the night!! Pig heaven!

    For the final course, we shared the family style pork platter, which came with pork tenderloin and pork sausages with sides of root vegetables. So delicious!!!!

    I know the menu is ever changing and I'm very curious to see what they are serving now. Plus I need to order the infamous pork rinds next time I go!

    BONUS: The setting is really impressive and the "beer relics" in the restroom area are such a great touch. Vintage goblets, etc. Very very cool. I'm also in love with the Pig Art.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/22/2009

    Ok, so the Publican is cool. To be honest, if it had not been the most amazing food of my life, I would have hated this place.  I will say that the family style seating is great for a date. So much less pressure.

    There is one thing that will always sell me on a place: The Beer list.  The Publican has an amazing beer list.  I didn't get to try that many because I went there for Sunday Brunch and was not in the mood to get wasted.  What I DID have was the Bloody Mary that, like all good Bloody Mary's, came with a poor of a good stout (which you had your choice of).  

    The best part is that the Brunch menu is affordable - nothing over 20 bucks - and everything was so tasty.

    I did feel under dressed in here, in my jeans but maybe that' because I wasn't wearing a v-neck t-shirt and a vest or a sundress and a quirky cardigan.  I've gotten used that feeling these days, isn't every place with good beer and quirky food a hipster mecca?

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/14/2010

    Great food, great prices, and the first beer mimosa I've seen. The restaurant is a large, open room with communal tables and booths. The booths are each fitted with half-doors, creating a stagecoach look. I like that you can see what other people are having easily and, since it's a communal table, it's a lot more comfortable to ask someone what they are having than at most other places.

    The sausage dish I had was great and the portions are appropriately sized; I rarely clean my plate most places. My wife's and my only complaint was that her short ribs were burnt/charred partway through, which wasted part of the dish. Last week, The Publican made a list of the top ten new restaurants in America on Forbes.com - the only restaurant in Chicago to make the list, I believe.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/1/2012

    I am baffled as to why these guys only average four stars. They really know what they are doing with the pig! I daydream about my meal for a week after I eat here every time. Oh... Be sure to try the summer sausage.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/15/2010

    One of my favorite Chicago restaurants. Get the pork rinds. Eating the pork rinds is like eating popcorn, except that pork rinds are way more awesome than popcorn. Get the pork belly. It's not a huge portion, you can finish it in like three or four bites, but it's heaven on earth. I shared it with my buddy once, and as soon as he took his first bite, he looked at me and nodded all like "Oh, hell yeah."

    Charcuterie is always great too.

    Excellent beer menu and knowledgeable staff. They'll let you know their recommendations, and you can almost always guarantee that whatever they suggest is worthwhile.

    I wish I lived closer.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/10/2010

    Got this recommendation from a friend and fellow Yelper and it did not disappoint.   Initially we'd requested seating for 6 which precluded us from getting our own penalty box - bummer because when we arrived we only had four.   If you're claustrophobic avoid the penalty box otherwise it's a cool concept.

    The beer list was something to behold - not huge but expansive.   Started off with some Kusshi, Deep Bay and Raspberry Point oysters.  Decent but a little saltier/sea-tasting than I care for.  The pork rinds were a hit across the board.  Outstanding flavor, cracklin' fresh with a little grease to hold the seasoning, delish.  After a Dark Horse Amber and making my way through a Lagunitas Cappucino Stout we moved into our dinner fixings.  This worked beautifully because each plate was delivered, devoured and we moved on.  Very efficient.  

    We kept an order of beets and pickles during each plate.  The pickles are actually a plate of pickled veggies, cauliflower, roma tomaotes, cherry peppers - great flavor, a hint of vinegar and spice.   The tuna "speck" was outstanding, great flavor, moved into the venison heart which had a spicy flavor, very dense and firm but a wonderful taste to it.  The sweetbreads came next.  Rich.  Very rich.  Highly recommended.  Next up, the country ribs - great smoke texture, very good - if not slightly over-grilled but good enough to order a second round of 'um.  We finished it all off with the halibut, and the hazelnut breadcrumb salsa was a beautiful complement to this firm, mild fish (fish for people who don't like fish).

    A good experience.  The bathrooms were interesting.  Be sure to lock the door or you might get an unexpected double-up experience or the people washing their hands in the community sink will get an eyeful.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/3/2012

    Their brunch on Sat and Sun is amazing!  We have been the last 4 weeks on the weekend.  I love their red wine pouched eggs.  You must give them a try for brunch since it's not just diner food!

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/1/2012

    Are you like me and are making sure you eat at all of the fine restaurants that Chicago has to offer before you re-locate out-of-state? No? Lucky you! You can go here as many times as you like! The Publican is a no-brainier. Bring lots of fiends and eat family style. Oh yeah, make a reservation!

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/25/2012

    I'm always pleased to be able to sing the praises of great Chicago restaurants.  My recent visit to The Publican was certainly deserving of a five-star rating, I'm happy to say.  I've been to The Publican a number of times now, but this time I was bringing a friend from out of town and wanted him to enjoy a Chicago culinary adventure (and some good meat!). I booked a Friday night reservation through OpenTable.  When I called to confirm, I made sure to request that my friend and I be seated at one of their tables for two, if at all possible.  [An aside: I do think that if you prefer not to sit in the communal seating, this is an excellent strategy that I've learned from other Yelpers - the staff at The Publican seem particularly happy to accommodate your seating requests, especially if you contact them ahead of time and reserve through OpenTable.]  My friend and I arrived a bit before our 8:00 reservation, and when we asked to start off with a drink before moving to our table, the hostess was happy to accommodate us.  She also took our coats for us right away, and within seconds we were set up to order drinks.  Our drink waitress came to the table quickly, welcomed us, and brought us water.  While we poured over the drink menu, our dinner spot was already being prepared for us (table for two by the windows, yay!)  We both ordered German beers and they arrived quite quickly.  Shortly after our first few sips, our table was ready and we were able to get settled.  [Another aside: I do love that they have space below each chair for bags or extra menus - a bag or glove space is something that a lot of finer new restaurants forget to incorporate into their table settings, but it really is a nice touch that those of us with purses appreciate greatly.]  We ordered and shared the following: the spicy pork rinds (delicious as ever, but hard to eat gracefully!), the frites with aioli (thicker-cut than I remembered, but still crisp; plentiful), the country rib (my friend was speechless at its tenderness), and the bollito misto (cotechino sausage is life-changing, salsa verde tasted quite fresh).  We found that to be enough food for two people - and indeed, we didn't come close to finishing everything.  This time we went without dessert, but previous visits have me jonesing for their carrot cake right at this moment.

    The service was just impeccable - our waitress explained everything so clearly, was extremely friendly, and checked up on us frequently (but not to excess).  She seemed passionate about the restaurant, and excited to introduce my friend to the menu for the first time.  The hostess and the bar waitress were also very accommodating and polite.  Every time that I've gone I've been pleased with the service, but this time (on a busy Friday night, no less) was just above and beyond.

    The bottom line: Deliciously rich food, very fine ambiance, and excellent service.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 5.0 star rating
    1/26/2013

    I went here for brunch.  It was amazing.  The maple braised bacon changed my life.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/8/2009

    I'm in love.

    Dined here on labor day, late in the evening and I was starving! We were promptly seated with no reservations (mind you it was about 9pm ... and it was 3/4 full, so reservations are probably a good idea on the regular) at the corner of a communal table. Personally, I love the European style seating. In addition to the communal tables, there are booths lining the perimeter of the restaurant, with little doors that close (adorable).

    This place really has their shit together. It was impeccably clean, the service from the staff was prompt, in addition to being knowledgeable regarding the food and beverages they served (which may I add, the beer list is phenomenal). I love Belgium beers and found a new favorite, while dining at The Publican, called Konings Hoeven - Quadrupel Trappist Ale. There was seriously a party going on in my mouth.

    I also enjoyed the kobe sirloin for my entree, which was both delicious and refreshing. I was surprised when our server did not ask how I would like my meat cooked and typically I like my meat well done; however it came out medium rare and it was actually amazing. Paired with peaches, greens and breadcrumbs, I ate the whole damn thing. My boyfriend ordered the farm chicken with summer sausage and fries and a Orval Trappist Ale, which was also delicious (but I think my pairing was better :P ) We also tried the grape sorbet for dessert, which was perfectly tart.

    yum. yum. yum.

    Oooh. The bathroom was also fun and interesting. Right off the hostess stand, is a square room with a large, round sink in the middle and 5 doors: 3 women, 2 men. I enjoyed the lime & coriander hand soap and lotion from C.O. Bigelow. Refreshing!

    3 belgium beers, 2 entrees, 1 dessert & 1 coffee - $88 (without tip). Not too shabby! Did I mention I can't wait to go back?!

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/4/2011

    some dear friends came into town, and i wanted to show them the best dining in chicago.  i'd been looking forward to going to the publican for so long that a month and half before my friends arrived, i reserved a table for four.  yes, 6 pm is a little early for dinner -- but i had high hopes and i was willing to dine with grandpa jack if it meant eating some yummy pork.

    first impressions?  four women giggled as we were ushered into a stall and the doors close behind.  if you think about it, this seating method is meta-clever.  put people behind a stall and then feed them hog meat -- you are what you eat?

    i started with a beer recommendation from our waiter -- the monk's cafe flemish sour red ale.  if you like cider, this beer is for you.  sour, tangy, a bit of sweet -- this beer hit all of the right notes while deviating from the ditty of the usual brew.  next is the menu.  at the publican, it's difficult to decide what to order and how much will be enough for your table because nothing is sized and everything is shared.  our waiter helped out by explaining that in each section, the size of the dish increases down the list.  between the four of us, we felt satiated after ordering 6 dishes and eating bread.

    i give 3 stars because my expectations for the publican were not fully realized.  yes, i had a pleasant dining experience, but many of the dishes did not wow me.  my friends described the fare as "overpriced peasant food" -- i don't agree or disagree with that nomenclature, but i did find myself eating down home food but with more muted, standard flavors than i had expected.  

    the pork rinds were great.  cheesy, spicy, crunchy -- paired with beers and some conversation, i could have munched for hours.  the beets/burrata was no more tastier than the sum of its components.  i didn't get anything more out of the dish than when i go to the farmers market, slice up some beets, and then pair with a nice juicy slice of mozzarella.  to me, this means that there's no reason why i should be ordering that dish in a restaurant.  what is the chef teaching me with this menu selection?  what new culinary technique am i witnessing?  what is the food evoking in me that i would not have experienced if i had eaten elsewhere?  with those beets, i didn't have a clear answer.

    we took our waiter's suggestion and ordered an off the menu special: the salt-and-vinegar fried smelt fish.  the salt and vinegary flavor of the breading was ever so slight.  the boudin blanc and then the cornmeal cauliflower suffered a similar verdict -- where was the flavor?  for the cauliflower and smelt, the breading was flaky and fried but lacking in savoriness.  

    the pork belly was the height of the evening.  we all fought for bites, and the dish reminded me of what my mom made for dinner as i was growing up.  when i was younger, my mom would lug out the heavy pot and place a fatty slab of meat inside, cooking it at low, low temperatures for the whole day.  when she finally opened the lid, delicious aromas would waft out, and i was gravitate towards the stove.  this pork belly tasted as good!  it was a bit sticky sweet, but the fat melted away until the meat become ultra tender.  this is one of those dishes that sticks in your mind.

    overall, the publican made me a little sad.  i came expecting to find my new favorite restaurant, but instead, everyone in my party just felt satiated and ready for the night.  no one raved about the food, and everything (except the pork belly) was ultimately forgettable.  dreams are hard to make come true -- sorry, publican!  next up is avec.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/1/2010
    1 check-in

    It was Friday march 12. Just before the MUSE concert.
    We had the Pork Rinds, Pork Belly, blue fin Tuna, broccoli burrata cheese, oyster and more ! I felt like died and gone to a better place !
    our server  Max was the best!

    Paul Kahan Is a Good Man !

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/14/2011
    1 check-in

    Get your Pork on! Amazing food with a great atmosphere. So many choices on food to try and the beer selection was crazy!!(beers I've never heard before) but don't fear. The server's have all taken their level one beer certification. It's a casual dress attire but I would dress business casual the next time I go.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/24/2013

    bacon! arteries. clogging.

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/27/2011

    For our first dinner in Chicago, I chose The Publican as I've had numerous great experiences with Avec, Blackbird and Violet Hour.  We had late dinner reservations at 9:30 and we were seated promptly.  The communal table is arranged in a U or bracket so my partner sat across from me while I was wedged next to two complete strangers on each side. Usually not a problem but when you are so close you can hear how annoying some people can be it just ruins the ambiance of what could have been a great dinner. Hey who am I to judge - I am probably annoying to other people to but just to share what we had to put up with.... This lady was obviously upset at her date for picking the place, complained about everything, yelled at him and then refused to eat anything and proceeded to stare at all the diners making comments about their appearance. So, moral of the story - when making reservation see if you can get a booth (which they have a limited number). Now to the important stuff....FOOD!  At the late hour they had already run out of a number of their signature dishes.  We specifically wanted to try the suckling pig which was out (Note - get an earlier reservation time). So, we ended up selecting a half order of the ham, little gem salad with fried pig's ear, sweetbreads, and a side of kale.  I couldn't eat the ham but my guy throughly enjoy it.  The salad was divine.  It had baby carrots and radishes over romaine lettuce and the crunchy pig ear was fried goodness.  The sweetbread was good but. Nothing special.  And I was oh so disappointed with the kale as it was too sweet.  I did enjoy the bacon bits and toasted garbanzo beans.  Service was impeccable and also the beer list.  

    If pork is your favorite food group, this place is probably for you. However, I will not be back.

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/9/2010

    I don't know.  Maybe I've become brunch-jaded over the years.  Used to be I'd swoon over the latest greatest spot to get sweet and/or savory treats on a Sunday morning.  But coming upon my first trip to Publican, I could already feel myself being over it.  

    I used to walk dogs in the West Loop and felt all nostalgic driving through the warehouse area around Lake.  The decor is nice and I'm glad I got to sit in one of the "pens", the closed off booths lining the perimeter.  For Mother's Day, it was pretty quiet, not loud and echoey like I would have expected.

    Food-our table had the short rib, red wine poached eggs, french toast w/ sausage, ricotta bread, and Publican bacon.  Every liked their food fine (I only ate the french toast, ricotta bread and bacon--all pretty good, nothing to write home about).  The bloody mary with a beer sidecar was strong and big.  Coffee was weak for Intelligentsia.

    Service was what was lacking most.  Our server was absent after we ordered, then dropped the check without asking if we wanted anything else.  We ended up ordering more anyway, but she dropped our original check then gave us the new bill after it had been split.  Very confusing, and her not knowing what happened wasn't very inspiring.  

    I don't know how brunch can be livened up, and maybe it's not supposed to be.  Maybe we need to invent a new meal.  Glad that I tried it after all the hype, but I probably won't be making the trip back.

  • 2.0 star rating
    2/18/2013

    Great food.  Horrible atmosphere.  If I'm dropping $140 on small plates, I don't want to hear the 20 something next to me fight with her boyfriend about trying a new place at the "community table".  If they weren't so trendy and provided sufficient space to enjoy my pricey small plates, I'd be back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/19/2012

    My husband and I were on a weekend getaway and a friend told us to check this place out. We love to try new places that are a little different and We were blown away!  we tried the ham plate as an appetizer and my husband had the Dover sole. He was in love!  I had the country ribs and they were amazing!   I would definitely recommend this restaurant to everyone and cannot wait to go back again!

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/25/2012

    All of the food we experienced this evening at The Publican was amazing, and I give the food 5 stars hands down.  There are two reasons I didn't give this place 5 stars, and each only took away a half star each.  First is the noise level!  This place is EXTREMELY almost to the point of being annoying (and I am an extremely loud individual)!  There is nothing in the decor of the restaurant to dampen the noise level.  Secondly was the very slow service. The waitress (and her "shadow") we very pleasant and knowledgeable, however, they seem to disappear many time throughout the meal.

    On to the food.  First of all my wife is a strict vegetarian, and The Publican was more than accommodating, preparing a mixed vegetable plate filled with an array of wonderful side dishes.  The rest of us started with the pork rinds as an appetizer and then shared the Farm Chicken, Fried Oysters, and Suckling Pig for the entrees!  I am not generally a pork rind fan, but I must admit the vinegar and cayenne really added a wonderful flavor to these pork rinds.  As for the entrees It is very hard to determine which was the best.  All of them were absolutely amazing.  If I had to choose between the 3 I would have to give the nod to the Farm Chicken, although I recommend all 3.  For dessert we had the chocolate mousse with carmel and sea salt........out of this world!  Very rich, but a great way to end the meal.

    Great place!

  • 1.0 star rating
    3/6/2009

    Even the frites have animal in them. :( The Publican is not vegan friendly, and it doesn't pretend to be either.

    Babe (the pig movie) came to mind as my eyes wandered from the animal-pen-like booths to the giant pig graphics hanging on the wall. Overall the decor and beige/brown color scheme is rather bland.

    I went on a prix fixe night, so the normally limited options were even moreso. Unfortunately for me the only thing I could eat was a tiny pickle that came with my friends' meal. I understand that it is a meat-focused gastropub, but I would think they'd have at least one option available for a vegan. Most of the "vegetable" dishes on the regular menu include meat. Ugh. Good thing I had eaten beforehand.

    On this particular night they were offering a Three Floyd's beer pairing, but I didn't partake. The Publican is not the place to go for a casual beer or two. It definitely seems like it's trying too hard to be fancy, but it really isn't good enough to justify the overpricing or stuffy atmosphere.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/28/2010

    The Publican is really good, but - for this meat lover - it was a bit like seeing a movie after all of your friends have told you how great it is. I really enjoyed it, but wasn't blown away because I was expecting it to be good. Don't get me wrong, it is.

    Pork rinds were a fun starter. As for entrees, get the chicken. No really. I never order chicken at a restaurant (unless it is fried and I am in a southern joint), but it is so freakin' good. Get it. It comes with sausage and fries and it could definitely feed two people. The waiter recommended the chicken and the sweet breads. Didn't try the sweet breads, but if they were on par with the chicken, I'm sure they are great.

    Casual atmosphere and communal seating. Great beer selection, too.

  • 1.0 star rating
    2/27/2009

    What the hell is a pub without a bar? Thats the Publican. This place is trying so hard to build a rep, that this place is loaded with rules. First, reservations only - for a flippin beer?! All I wanted was a beer! Second, if I got beer, then I couldnt order frites, because thats for tables only. Okay, I had enough. You will never, ever get a dime, recommendation, or another visit from me ever again. I'll stick with a place where you can actually walk in and get a decent Belgian, like Hopleaf.

    Screw you, Publican. You definitely deserve to be in a fly-over city and stuffed with suburbanites.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/30/2010

    Pork grinds and oysters were the highlights of the night. The other stuff was good, but in reality that's all they are..."other stuff". Also the beer selection is a tremendous and tasty. Ask for recommendations because from my experience, the waiters will know what compliments what and are extremely nice.

    Atmosphere is SUPERB. If you would like a date here, make sure you reserve a table because you do not want to get stuck on the community tables.

    For two people, paying exactly $100  including tip for a couple of beers, oysters, pork grinds, and a couple of side dishes is not ridiculous for a great restaurant like this but certainly was expensive. I would say it is more of a group place than a date place. Get a bunch of oysters and beers!

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/24/2012

    The atmosphere is cool and the food is great. We had some oysters and sweet breads. They were great.  One of our peeps had a sirloin steak and it was actually delicious. Usually don't eat sirloin, but would definitely recommend it.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/3/2011
    8 check-ins

    Sweet piggy and beery goodness! I really really enjoy the publican. Although I will get the bad out of the way right now, the NYE dinner I had here was meh at best but that is really the best I can expect from anywhere on NYE. Otherwise I love this place. My favorite way to dine here is just to stand at one of the bar high tables for a few hours and get food off that menu. You can have beer after beer and make a nice 5+ course meal for yourself with cheese, frites (w/ egg), trio of hams (drooool), pork rinds, oysters, chicken, muscles and others. Sounds like a pretty awesome meal to me, who needs to sit? The beer list here is probably one of the best curated lists in Chicago. They do tend to focus on the rare bottles here if you are draft beer inclined.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/20/2012

    Best brunch in Chicago! The bacon is life changing.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/26/2009

    Oh yeah! Trendy, rustic decor, just the way I like it. This was my type of atmosphere (okay, other than the noise), but go with a group and have some great beers and pork rinds that will blow away any of that bagged crap you used to eat with a Miller Lite in college.

    Our server was really informative and since this is community style seating, I think they are used to doing separate checks, so figuring out the bill for our party of 7 was not too bad.

    All of the food is farm-fresh. The meats and produce come from local farmers. I consider this to be high class farm food.
    The oysters were amazing, my sashimi with strawberries and cashews was extremely fresh and light. The sweet pea custard thing I had goes down in history as one of the most memorable dishes I have ever had. The flavor was so pure and so delicate. Heaven. For dessert, the waffle with sweet butter and rhubarb was also super good. The waffle was like no other waffle I have ever tasted. Really nice texture.

    Since this is the type of place where you order smaller plates and try many things (there are few entree sized items on the menu) you may be shocked when you get the bill. My husband and I casually ordered all night not thinking that we'd be walking out of there having spent close to $150. Whoooops. Oh, well, I'd do it again and I will.

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/22/2010
    2 check-ins

    Went here last night with me lady.  Food was really good; liked the communal tables.  I can see how it wouldn't be the best place for a first date (the people next to use were on what appeared to be a first date and as soon as they left the ENTIRE table talked about them) since you really need to get deep to hear what your date is saying.  But at the same time, you're forced to share small plates which is good for dates.

    Food:  Started with the fries with egg (nothing special, they are ff with an egg on top), pork rinds (I don't get it; they don't have much of a flavor other than bacon grease, they are very airy, the dusting on the top was good though), oysters (which were good, but considering there is an open kitchen it doesn't reflect well that the woman shucking the oysters smelled all of them, how fresh are they really??? I've worked in many restaurants dealing with seafood and we were always confident our fish was fresh enough we never had to smell it), the sweetbread (the best thing we got.  I don't know exactly what sweetbreads are (or why they are plural, but I suspect there is a correlation)) and the country ribs, which actually weren't ribs and were overcooked.

    They have an extensive beer menu.  I would go again, but there are much better restaurants that are cheaper.

  • 1.0 star rating
    2/27/2009

    I don't think I've ever had a worse first impression of an establishment.  As soon as we walk in the hostess tells us they are about to be full with reservations.  We say we just want to drink at the bar and they say we can, but we're just drinking, not eating right?

    After this barrage of rules, and seeing how crap the lighting is inside, my friend and agree that we hate this place and turn around and walk out.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/16/2011

    Not that this place needs anymore rave reviews but the bacon at brunch really is to die for.....alot more fatty than I'm used to but it's worth it.  This isn't an every weekend type brunch place as it's pretty expensive and the portions aren't all that big but everything we ate was really good.  I rec making a reservation for right at 10am when they open as it gets pretty busy fast.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/16/2013

    Absolutely awesome brunch. Best bacon I've ever had. Already mad a reservation to go back!

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/23/2011 Updated review

    I love that Publican is the Chicago gastropub standard. Usually have dinner there but the brunch was kind of mind blowing. Their beer back for their bloody (yes, you must have a beer back with your bloody) was a special draft only served there. So good. Everytime.

    5.0 star rating
    2/8/2011 Previous review
    Been here a bunch and I loves it.  :) Good beer list and surprisingly happy/friendly wait staff.

    Went…
    Read more
  • 2.0 star rating
    7/19/2011
    1 check-in

    This is a good restaurant, just not for me. Mainly because I have very picky tastes and just do not eat a lot of the meats that they serve here so my options were few. That said, the service was good, the interior was impressive. The crowd was trendy and loud as expected. Although it was weird eating late and then watching a large crowd come in for a beer drinking event (think of 2 shows in one night at a club) I didn't have too many issues. My girlfriend who eats everything had a better experience.

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/19/2012

    Very trendy restaurant. Menu has very unusual items for foodies.  Plates are meant to be shared.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/22/2010
    Listed in Hgpfccztujc

    Fries
    Farm chicken
    Shaved ham

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/10/2011
    1 check-in

    Five stars of YUM! One of my San Francisco foodie friends came to visit, and I decided it was the perfect opportunity to finally give Publican a try.

    We were so stuffed it was hard to get up at the end of the meal, but here's what we ordered:
    - Oysters: solid, fresh, delicious
    - Hamachi crude: great combination of flavors, perfectly light and delicate, and gone in a heartbeat
    - Fig and burrata salad: I have a personal weakness for figs. I mean a real weakness. And burrata? And peaches? Talk about a home run. So delicious
    - Market salad: A really different take on a salad, full of quinoa and green beans, but again, a perfect combination of flavors and rich in both flavor and texture
    - Half chicken with summer sausage and fries: So good, and the chicken was even better the next day. The fries were perfectly crisp, and I have a sneaking suspicion they may have been cooked in duck fat. The sausage was also juicy and perfect
    - Can't remember the name, but an amazing pork entree. Juicy, delicious, falling off the non-existent bone. I could barely fit anything more in my stomach at this point, but it was just so good.

    Literally everything we ordered was outstanding, and I might just have to have my birthday party here if I can find enough foodie friends.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/9/2009

    Best. Chicken. Ever. I made this statement after two Pere Jacques, however my husband concurred the next morning when he ate the rest for breakfast. Again...slowly with meaning...best. chicken. ever.

    I am not a fan of ordering chicken at a restaurant. That's why you have a stove at home. However, the roast chicken at Publican is really unbeatable. Succulent, bursting with flavor and perched above a nest of heavenly fries.

    Also, do embrace your inner beet - the beets and house made ricotta were also a standout. Reservations recommended, unless you make friends with the folks standing waiting for seat around round stand up tables.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/3/2009

    You need to know how to do The Publican right, in my opinion, to get full satisfaction from the place.  First, expect to be there for awhile.  The service is slow and intended to be that way.  The courses come out at different times and all dishes are meant to be shared.  Sometimes you gotta wait a little while to get that next drink, but if you're prepared for this, you'll brush it off.

    The best part of The Publican is the meat.  Three different types of aged ham, the feta-topped skirt steak, the summer sausage, the white sausage, and the half chicken are all memorable 3 weeks later.

    And of course, the beer selection is fabulous.  Tons of microbrews and imported beer that even a mild beer fan like myself had never heard of, mixed in with some of the more popular micros and imports.  

    So try it when you've got time to lay back and enjoy The Publican...it's worth your patience.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/2/2013

    Great beer...and great food.  I'm anti-social...so...not really into the communal dining...but...once we got the champagne-style Belgium beer...I quickly got over the seating arrangement.  We just asked the server to pick out a few items on the menu and she nailed all of them.  We had The Publican on our wishlist for a long time and we were not disappointed.

  • 2.0 star rating
    3/21/2011

    The food is just eh.  The raw dishes and vegetables - arugula salad, oysters, fish crudo, grilled cauliflower, etc were all good, but frankly with fresh produce, those are dishes hard to miss.  The entrees we got were well below par - the whole fish and the country ribs lacked any considerable flavor, while the duck breast was poorly conceived with the smoke flavor taking over the delicate duck flavor.  Far from impressive, but worth considering a re-do if the service warranted it.

    The service though, absolutely awful.  Our server was inattentive and seemed to go missing for 30 minutes at a time.  He failed to mention another bottle of wine would be substituted (ours was out of stock) until after it was delivered, not giving us much of a choice in a re-order.  We also ordered the whole fish entree, and not only did he come by 10 minutes AFTER the dish to fillet it (as we were sitting there hungrily staring at it), he completely botched it to the point of almost being inedible with bones everywhere.  I know how to fillet both raw and cooked fish, he had no clue!  With a dish like that, flavor and execution are equally critical to ensuring the diners have a well served menu item.

    For beers and some apps after work, maybe on the company dime.  But for a delicious Saturday dinner out, there are much better places for better food within the same concept (Girl and the Goat, The Bristol, etc).

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/22/2009

    my review is a little late as i went over the summer but i don't think their menu has changed much since the dishes we selected were kind of "signature" dishes.  

    the sweetbreads, i recall, was like eating seared fat.  nothing bad about this, i love fat.  better when it's seared and hot. the pork rinds were fun, but there is something wrong with paying more than 99 cents for a cone of pork rinds, don't you think?

    the pork belly we ordered was very good.  it seems like the dish nowadays.  the grits were sweet and salty and came with garlic bits and more pork fat.

    the charcuterie plate that was suggested in the nyt review was ok.  it's not really my thing.  my hubby enjoyed it though.  it had the standard head cheese, sausage and pate.  also, there was a slab of cold pork pie.  

    The potee that was also raved about in the nyt review was unmemorable.  the last thing we ordered was the little gem salad which had shaved cheese and pork ears had very little taste.

    overall, decent food, if not pricey.  the ambience was fun.  the area reminded me much of nyc meatpacking district and in a part of chicago, i rarely go to.  lots of people watching.

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/19/2009

    Good overall experience at the Publican. I like the beer hall atmosphere with the communal tables and pig pen booths. Beer list is impressive and has great breadth. I loved the Indiana beer on draught. The menu is interesting and of course heavy on the pork offerings. Oysters were decent, not great. I had shell fragments in one of my two. Oops. All of the dishes were good, none great. Overall, it is a fun place to come with a group and share a bunch of food and drink some killer beers. Not the type of place that will wow you. A bit on the pricey side.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/21/2010

    I went here for Sunday brunch with two lady friends, one of whom was from out of town.  I like Avec and Blackbird, so I couldn't wait to put another notch on my Chap Stik case.

    My first choice (I don't even remember what it was, but it sounded awesome) was out.  So I ordered a waffle.  OK, that waffle was the best damned breakfast food I've had in years.  It was perfectly crispy-- in fact, I could hear the faint, subtle sound of crust cracking when I poked my fork into it.  But it was the center that literally made me...um, kumquat.  It was gooey and chewy and melt-in-your-mouth perfect.  I never knew a waffle could taste this good.  Seriously.

    I had a great bloody mary.  I tasted both of my friend's orders.  I wish I remembered what they ordered, cuz both dishes were goooooood.  

    I can't wait to come back here.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/2/2011

    The brunch I had here trumped the dinner. I think it may very well be impossible to top a pork-belly-polenta-cake though. All in all, I enjoyed both visits, and will go back for brunch at some point, but I am not so excited to revisit it for dinner. The best dinner item I had was the pork belly, which was very good. The beer selection is great. Some of the beers I am possibly too familiar with were on the menu and in my judgement, overpriced. I think the tab on a Rochefort 10 was $15. At Binny's it'll cost you $6 or $7... Anyway, I really did love the brunch and The Publican allows for a reason to drink a beer early in the day.

  • 3.0 star rating
    11/30/2012

    It was good, but not as good as I expected.  The best part was the corn...

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/3/2010
    Listed in Evenings Out

    We love Publican.  Breakfast is delicious, and you can get fries and pork rinds with your coffee and juice.  Dinner is delicious.  Sunday dinners you just sit back and let the food come to you.  The menu items are described so minimally, we often don't know what to expect.  Just about everything we've had has blown us away!  The menu changes frequently, but there are some standards like the roast chicken.  

    The food is quite similar to food in Belgium which is the absolute best place for food in general.  The fries are just like Belgian fries- very crispy on the outside and soft and flavorful on the inside.  Each dish is solid with just the right amount of different types of flavors that don't overpower each other.  If you ever get the chance, try the pizza.  We've only had it a couple of times at a Sunday dinner.  The crust is so good!  We are not fans of communal tables, so we make sure to ask for the booths.   The service friendly and attentive.  It's a fun place to go!

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/24/2012

    Service was good, particularly in bar. At table, upsell seemed a liitle obvious, though friendly enough.  Also, replacing of plates while we ate was a little awkward. Food itself...it was good, lots of interesting choices, some seemed a bit pricey for the serving, but this wasn't true across the board. We also fell for the upsell a bit, ordering more than we needed based on waitress recommendations. Also, VERY loud, can barely hear people in your party. In short, feels a little like you are paying for the trendiness as much as anything.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/4/2011
    1 check-in

    The Publican has been on our "to eat" list for quite some time and we were finally able to make it at the end of September.  It is in my top 3 restuarants of Chicago, now and I would recommend it to anyone who lives here or comes to visit!

    I'll start off by saying the beer list was very impressive and I was glad to see they offered the Belgium Duvel ale, which was one of the first Belgium micros brought to the States.  Our server was very knowledgable about the whole beer menu (and food menu, but that's later) and was able to suggest exactly what each of us were looking for!  I had the Brasserie Dupont' Saison and the Hercule Stout.  Both of which I highly recommend.  If you are looking to expand your beer conquest, you will be thoroughly satisfied at this restaurant.

    The small dish-sharing style of restuarants is catching on quite quickly and this is of no exception.  That being said, it's always kind of hard to guess how much to order and which dishes may be too similar to each other.  We were a group of 4 to put it in perspective. Once again to our rescue, our server nailed the perfect amount of food and which dishes we shouldn't duplicate. We ordered a half of farm chicken, the potee, the veal loin, and the squash and romanesco veggie plates.  The farm chicken was cooked to an amazing tenderness and the veal loin was very good as well.  We also ordered the chef's selection of oysters and these were delicious.  I'm a decent fan of oysters and these were the best I've had in a long time, especially for Chicago.  We did get two desserts; the waffles and apple pie.  If you were to pick just one, I'd go with the waffles. Not a typical dessert menu item, but done very well.

    I think the value and price are great.  For 4 people to each have two drinks, be sufficiently full from a variety of oustanding dishes AND desserts, and have a high quality waitress for about $60 per person after tip is nearly unbelievable!
    Highly recommend!!!

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 4.0 star rating
    4/28/2009

    Decor was interesting...we got to sit in the wooden enclosed booths with doors that swing out. Not sure the story behind that, but a couple times it was a bit hazardous as people were walking by and one of our waiters tried to open it to take away plates or serve food.  

    Definitely order a beer. They are known for their beers. I thought it was really neat that for each beer, they paired it with the appropriate glass/logo. Our waiter was very knowledgeable about all the beers so just tell them what you tend to like and they'll make a recommendation. The Blanche Bruxelle was light and went down quickly.

    Food was good although at first glance of the menu, you probably aren't sure what to order.  With 5 people, we ordered PLENTY of food to share including the oysters, frites with egg, salad, selection of 3 hams, fish of the day, halibut, pickles, cassoulet, pork shoulder...the list goes on and on. We all LOVED the frites with egg and actually ended up ordering a second batch at the end of the meal because we kept raving about them. The pork shoulder was a bit dry and over-cooked, so we got the waffle and dessert liquour on the house. My mouth is watering thinking about the waffle with liqour as I'm writing this!

    Great place to come with co-workers and group of people so you can try different dishes.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/23/2013

    All around a fun dining experience for a group. Attentive wait staff. Adventurous food choices. The menu was a bit overwhelming but the options just give you a reason to go back. We had some trouble understanding how much to order for our table of 3 so we probably got a bit carried away with the ordering but I suppose it's impossible for a server to know how much a man can eat.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/10/2010

    I LOVE The Publican.  The place has a very energetic vibe, with long wooden tables in the middle and booths/small tables around the sides.  The beer selection is huge, and our waitress let me sample a few different kinds to help me decide what to order.

    We had the chef's selection of oysters, chef's selection of three hams, sweetbreads, and an arugula salad.  Everything was really delicious.  It was fun comparing the flavors of the different kinds of oysters, and it was also interesting to compare the distinct flavors of the three hams.  The sweetbreads were yum, but I always love sweetbreads as long as they're cooked properly (in this case they were cooked perfectly).  Even the salad was really tasty!

    I will be going back in the very near future...can't stay away!

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/23/2012

    One Off Hospitality does it again. I'm a huge fan of Avec, Big Star, etc and Publican did not disappoint. Such a neat space w/the closed door booths and communal tables...warm and cozy lighting. Service was great, providing good recommendations. The food was wonderful..grilled octopus knocked my socks off. We shared so many great dishes I can't even remember them all but left full and satisfied. also, the beer list is incredible...could barely make a decision! Will definitely return.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/20/2011

    The suckling pig was super tasty. Fried smelt, really salty, but interesting. The turnips were alright. 4 stars for the food, and 5 stars for the atmosphere. Really nice crowd on a Monday night. I love the lighting in there.

  • 1.0 star rating
    1/8/2009

    Wow, I don't know if one star can accurately represent how disappointed I was with my experience at The Publican. Here's a summary:

    What the Publican describes as a "booth", I describe as a cage. The already small booths along the east wall have corral-like doors that trap you inside! Talk about claustrophobia! Fortunately, they reseated my very uncomfortable family. I noticed that several other groups of patrons were requesting to be moved for various and sundry reasons throughout the night.

    The atmosphere is so unappealing that it is incredibly distracting! The lights seem overly bright while everything else is exceedingly beige. If I'm noticing the atmosphere instead of enjoying my alcoholic beverage or food, you know it has to be bad!

    The service was shockingly awful. Our waitress did not explain the menu, and the complete lack of information architecture wasn't helping either (graphic design nerd comment). What she did explain was that even the fries (one of 2-3 "vegetarian"  items on the menu were fried in animal fat). She also suggested a $30 beer when the $12 beer I was considering was unavailable.

    Saddest of all- the food isn't even worth mentioning! It did nothing to help the situation. No one in my group was satisfied with what they got, and you can bet we didn't stick around for dessert.

    I certainly like the idea of the place, but absolutely everything fell short for me. I won't be going back.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/3/2009

    Definitely make reservations about a week ahead of time so you don't have to eat at 5:30 pm or 10:30 pm.

    The food was great, we shared several plates and the beer was great, even if I couldn't pronounce several of them.

    We fortunately didn't have to sit in communal seating and had a barn-door shut booth which made it more intimate. Highly recommend those.

    It's a little loud in there and the waiters seem to talk in a very soft voice, but overall, it was a great experience and a great time.

    Definitely order beer, frites with fried egg and a dessert. Everything was really great.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/22/2011

    Great atmosphere.... if you don't like and/or want noisy... don't go here. However, the noise level did not prevent me from hearing what my dinner guest had to say. I will be honest we ordered so many things from the menu including desserts that I can't remember them individually. However, everything was fantastic as was the beer and wine selections.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/20/2009

    the beer menu is amazing... a little overwhelming to the average beer drinker.. The first visit, I tried pork belly with black eyed peas which was amazing! Both times i had some variation of a beet salad, which was also set up beautifully.. This last trip i tried the half farm chicken.. which was dry and bland and bad.. so maybe stick with pork products.?

    12/14/09 Publican Brunch
    i went with 4 of my friends and everyone was amazed with all their food even the vegan guy.  I want to kick myself for not getting a side of bacon though... i saw our neighbor's and i was drooling, seriously it's like 2 inches thick. meatastic!

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/16/2013

    Solid, consistent spot. However, the menu hasn't changed in years, with the exception of the dessert menu, which is finally has more options other than the waffle.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/21/2010

    As some of you can see I'm catching up on my reviews.  This is from last summer.
    Reason:
    Celebrating a friends graduation from MBA school.
    Order:
    multiple items including Belgian beers and a beer from Europe that was made in an old rum cask that was next to our table.  We also ordered the Halibut that was flown in that morning.  Pork, beef, etc.
    Thoughts:
    Awesome.  Great.  Tasty.  All the good things.  The fish (at a "meat place") was the best I had ever had.  It was bright white and flaky, meaty, clean tasting.  The sweetbreads were better than I had ever had.  Everything was good, decor was spot on and not pretentious.  The waiter was helpful and fast.  
    Note:  We happened to be a few tables from Chris Cosentino.   Crazy.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/21/2013

    We went for dinner and everything we ordered was outstanding! We started with the mussels, which were fresh and incredible. Then ordered the beets and artichoke as sides, which tasted as if they were picked that day because they were so fresh and flavorful. As our entrées, we ordered the whole fish and the 60-day aged ribeye, both of which were some of the best tasting dishes I have ever experienced! I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who wants to eat have an amazing piece of meat or fish.

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/17/2009

    I need to break this review down into service, food, beverage, and ambience.

    Service--excellent.  The water guys never let my water glass get less than half full and they were super attendant when clearing plates from the table.  I would give them 5 stars on service.

    Food--some things are great, some things not so great.  There were 5 of us so we had the benefit of sharing many dishes.  We thought the standouts on the menu are the half chicken, smoked trout, pork shoulder, serrano ham, broccoli, and boudin blanc.  We had mixed reviews on the pork rinds.  They were greasy and dare I say they were the LOUDEST food I had ever eaten?  Yep, I said LOUD.  You bite into that and the table next to you hears you.  Kinda funny.  A dish to avoid is the mussels.  They aren't good.  As far as desserts are concerned, the waffle was good, the chocolate dish was yummy, but the lemon pound cake (while delicious especially paired with the creme fraiche) was disappointingly dry!   The portion sizes vary.  Some dishes are small while others are large.  Be sure to ask  you server because some of the dishes are very small.

    Beverage--great wine list and an amazing beer list.  I have never seen so many unique beers.  

    Ambience--I would classify this place as, "farmhouse chic."  I loved the different patterned plates and the long rows of wooden tables and chairs.  I wasn't a fan of the "bar area."  It's literally a bunch of standing-room only tables.  Kinda awkward.  

    We all agreed this is a place to try but none of us thought we would go back again.  No specific reason...Total for 5 people with tip was $230.

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/23/2009 Updated review

    Ok, I went back with some friends and way better! This place is a good brunch place! I love the creativity and the Pork is outstanding! It was mentioned in a local paper that they had great bacon (my secret lover) so I was thrilled! But, they were out of their special Publican bacon so we had to settle for regular old bacon. I was all geared up for the "special" bacon. But, to my amazement, the regular 'ol bacon was phenomenal! I can only dream about how great their Publican bacon must be....I can't wait to go back and give it a try. Everything everyone ordered smelled great and the presentation was impeccable. Way to step up your game! I'm glad I went back!

    2.0 star rating
    11/22/2008 Previous review
    I'll start with the positive.
    Impressive beer selection. If you've got a craving for something…
    Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    1/13/2012

    Went to The Publican for sunday brunch.  I really liked the atmosphere the service was great. I was a little hung over when I went, so I started off with the bloody Mary to take the edge off. Then followed that with the pork belly dish to soak up some of the demons from the night before. The food was great hit the spot. Looking forward to trying their dinner menu.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/31/2009 Updated review

    I've been to here twice now, once for drinks-into-dinner and now for brunch. It was not as crowded as I expected, but that could have been due to the early spring snowstorm... Service from the time you walk is very high. They always make me feel special and prioritized. The menu is not the typical Chicago brunch. I had eggs poached in red wine, with prosciutto.If you've been there for dinner and tried their ham trio, it's the one from Iowa, not the amazing Spanish one. The coffee was very good and non-stop. The only thing I would ding them...towards the end when it was clear to me (I sat facing the door) that they wanted our table to leave. They were not packed and I believe brunch should be savored. Hence the good, not outstanding.
    Update: Mirrors have been added, but they are in the stalls (!!!) AND there's no light in there. Did anyone think to ask a woman, before installing them?

    3.0 star rating
    11/25/2008 Previous review
    Great atmosphere, reminded me of a couple of places in SF. The best way I can describe it is like a… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    12/13/2011 Updated review

    This place makes me feel like the dog in that Beggin' Strips commercial. "It's BACON!"

    I loved this brunch. The Duck Hash was a huge hit with crispy potato pieces and tender duck hunks slathered in runny egg yolk. My friend who ordered the Pork Belly Bibimbap loved the pork but said the dish overall was a little spicy for him for breakfast. The Quiche was also pretty good, a crumbly, traditional crust packed with moist egg and studded with cheese. The piece wasn't huge though and the side salad that accompanied it (as so many side salads do) kind of pissed me off. It was helped out a lot by their stellar bacon. It's so thick and fat and fatty and smoky and crispy in all the right places, you don't even need the maple glaze. But it's still delicious, so why not? It was easily the standout dish of the meal, and it was only a side. Runner up goes to the Cinnamon Roll, which was perfectly soft and gooey on the inside.

    And more restaurants, please do your butter like this. Let it sit out. Let it soften. Put it on the table before I even get there. Being greeted by butter is never a bad thing.

    As for drinks, the coffee was unremarkable but the Bloody Marys were fantastic. Love that they come with a little beer back. Since I often like to have about 7 beverages in front of me at brunch, this saved me a little time in actually having to order.

    I'll be heading back here soon, probably muttering "bacon, bacon, BACON!" the whole way.

    4.0 star rating
    3/21/2011 Previous review
    Overall, the experience was great. We couldn't get our table right away, but the hostesses were very… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    12/2/2009

    How super random that like Melissa V, I too was at Publican on Sunday while visiting from the Bay area for the Thanksgiving weekend.  So please see her review on the food as I agree - FISH was fab, but we' liked everything.

    Unlike Melissa, we only ordered 1 prix-fixed menu and then ordered other stuff like the pork rinds and oysters.  Well worth it as they both were tasty add ons.  The guy from our food tour said their menu was limited on Sundays so beware.

    Other randomness - apparently it's getting rave reviews on the food front in Chi-town, I tried to Open Table a reservation and only got 2:30pm on Sunday which I ended up cancelling only to get our concierge to call them and get a 8pm reservation that same night.  They were open at 7 and 7:30 as well.  When we got there, the place was 1/2 empty, was it superficial hype to limit the reservations?

    Things to know - if you are going by cab, the place is not walking distance to any hotel.  Ambiance is great with all the pictures of Wilburs around, and the tables on the side that look like pig pens.  Bathroom rocks and service is good!

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/7/2009

    We went with a group of four at 5:30 pm on a Tuesday.  At first we were the only people there, but it quickly got crowded (and noisy.)  

    The room is a big rectangle with booths along one side, a bar along another side, and a few very large communal tables in the middle.   The booths are WEIRD.   To get into the booth one has to open a half-door and climb in, then shut the little door behind them.  The waiter served the food over the door.   I felt like I was eating in a car.   Cramped and claustrophobic.  My party, on the other hand, thought it was cozy.

    Food:  VERY heavy on the meat.  There are some veggie dishes, but they are more like sides than main dishes.  (i.e. small plate of pickles).   We ordered the whole chicken for the table, which was served already cut and boned, and was DELICIOUS.  It was served on top of a bed of frites which were gooey with juicy chicken deliciousness.  For dessert we got a belgian waffle, which was very airy inside but seemed to be deep fried- a little too much for me.   You have to be adventurous to eat here, there's stuff on the menu like sweetbreads and head cheese.  

    Decor:  The bathrooms were more aesthetically pleasing than the main dining room.   The main dining area has plain yellow walls which are bare- I felt they could use something on the walls, especially to absorb some of the sound.  

    Service:  Great.  We had no problems with any of the previously mentioned service issues that others had.  Our waiter was great- very attentive, explained everything on the menu, helped us pick out what apps and what sides to get, and helped my husband pick out his beer.  The other waitstaff were great as well, always filling our water and clearing away empty dishes immediately.  

    In summary, the meal was delicious but heavy and a little weird, and dessert not so great.  The decor was weird as well- the booth door thing bothered me for some reason.   Five stars for the service, three for food and decor.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/17/2010

    Really great atmosphere.  Came in for dinner tonight for the first time and absolutely loved it.  Only reason gave 4 stars is because they seemed to be short staffed on servers? Plenty of people running around filling waters and bringing out the food, but our waitress was fairly MIA to take drink and refill orders?  
    Started with pork rinds.  From there we had the tasting of three hams.  They were all delicious and it was a really nice way to start the meal.  For the main course we had the pork belly and the cauliflower.  Both were DELICIOUS.  I could have had 2 orders of the pork belly.  The cauliflower gratin was also really really good.  
    Finished the night off with dessert! The waffle and tart were both great.  Can't wait to come back.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/20/2008

    First, a caveat:

    If a $5 bottle of Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald is too expensive for your blood, don't bother opening the great, masculine, glass-and-metal doors. Turn around now. Because surely the craft brews that make up the extensive beer menu - exquisite drafts and rare bottles - will make your PBR-loving self explode.

    A second caveat:

    If you are vegetarian, you'll likely leave with a stomach stuffed full of fries and bread and salad - this is not vegetarian paradise. And if you are vegan -- well, don't bother.

    And a third:

    If it is Sunday night, and you do not wish to spend $45 per person on dinner (before tax & tip and drinks, though the last time we went, they gave us a DeKonick "on the house"), consider another venue. Sunday night is Sunday supper night, and you will have absolutely NO CHOICE but to order the prix fixe menu that has absolutely NO OPTIONS other than what is being offered. So call ahead.

    With that in mind....

    So, if you don't mind spending a few extra dollars on good beer, are not vegetarian or vegan, are not looking for a meal that will fit within your ramen-and-bologna budget, and have no issues with a volume level that consistently pushes 11, then Publican may be the casual, loud, carnivorous, doting, old-world style beer hall for you.

    I had NO expectations for our night at Publican. So many bad reviews, so many complaints. So I was pleasantly surprised to find excellent, thoughtful service, pleasant hosts, and good food that didn't break the bank or burn a hole in my wallet. As I waited for my partner-in-crime, I stood at a tall table (ladies...be mindful of your shoes if you are going to have to wait...the floor is a bit uncompromising when you are in heels) and was warmly greeted by a server, who brought me several draught beers to taste before I made my order. He was personable and chatty.

    When my friend arrived, we were promptly moved to a table (and to our sadness, not one of the corrals, which rather intrigued me) and made welcome with menus, water, and bread (from Fox & Obel).  Our server was equally helpful and made suggestions. We ended up with a more modest spread than our neighbors, who seemed to be trying everything on the menu. Mussels, frites x 2 (these are actually quite tasty - thick coated fries with a big savory flavor, alongside a subtly flavored aoli), madai crudo, and a waffle stuffed us to the gills. Everything was tasty  and satisfactory - I wouldn't say 'great' or even 'excellent' .

    I'd still take Avec over Publican anytime.

    And, if you are curious, there are 84 globe lights hanging from the ceiling. I had some time to kill. And that's what caught my eye.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/28/2009

    I may even say 4.5 for Publican as it really was such an enjoyable, unique, slightly quirky, delicious and beautiful experience.  The space is amazing in an old pork processing factory in the developing Fulton Market.  

    We arrived on a Sunday for brunch (my favorite time of day for food and drink) at about 1:30 just in time as brunch stops at 2:00.  Plenty of brick, original weathered wood pillars, steel supports and floor to ceiling windows expose plenty of the original space.  The classic added touches consist of  classic textured walls and wall paper that even extend onto the ceiling along with a beautiful bar and semi-open kitchen.  The acoustics in the space is also perfect as plenty of the original empty space has had added panels and sections that allow for proper sound travel instead of a typical cement loft-like space that can be too loud and echo-y.  The furniture is simple block wood tables (many of them communal) and chairs complete with the quirky pork stable booths (see picture to understand).  The middle bar section has plenty of tables and stools.  Even the bathrooms have the old factory touches with a trough basin sink and individual stalls with antique beer steins recessed into wall light boxes.  

    I could yelp on and on about the interior, but let's get to the real stuff.  Let's talk beer list.  Now, i'm not a big time connoisseur, but i have been to a few interesting places with boutique beer lists and can talk about a few good ones.  However, with this list i felt like i needed a translator.  Not a bad thing.  The waiter was super helpful in guiding me through a few selections and I am not usually disappointed when it comes to any kind of alcohol, so i'm easy to please.  I had two super great beers but of course can't remember which ones.  They offer a crazy sounding (and looking.. from the couple's table next to us) bloody mary with a small beer chaser, which i would totally get if i could have just stayed there all day.

    The food was fabulous too.  A lot of the items are pork inspired, but we saw mussels delivered to the table next to us with a full baguette of bread and the broth smelled amazing.  I ordered the pork blood sausage with greens, orange slices with biscuits and gravy and Tobin ordered the Ham steak with rough-milled grits and grilled bread.  Both were super delicious... my sausage was the best I've ever had and took me back to Spain where they are all about blood sausage (and any other sausage for that matter).  They cure their own sausage on site.  Tobin's ham steak was also amazing and the grits, by far the best I've ever tasted.  And as i've said before, anything with grilled bread (done right) you just can't go wrong with.

    I'm fully obsessed with everything about this place, the food, space and informative and helpful service.  I can't wait for the warehouse section of LA to have the same type of spaces open up!

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/9/2009

    This one is just for the beer and service.  I was driving to the airport one Sunday it dawned upon me that I had time for a beer, and why not Publican (Food TV).  It was pretty empty so I just walked in like nobody's business, it wasn't I sat down at the bar that they were closed and setting up for a large private party, but as I was getting up to leave the bartender said I could stay and offered me the beer menu.  We engaged in conservation to determine my beer choose because they have so many unique ones on tap and even asked me if I wanted to order some food, even though it was totally obvious they were still prepping and setting-up.  The bartender even poured me a sample of the limited edition beer that the private event was meant for.  I didn't have the time to sample the food this time but overall, classy.  I will be back for the food and more beer one day.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/21/2009

    This place is so unique! My bf brought me here for my birthday, and it was awesome. It's supposed to resemble the family style eating of communal dining halls, but there are private smaller tables on the periphery. Also, the menu changes each week with fresh food (they tell you where everything comes from)! They have an extensive list of beers as well.

    I really liked the decor in this place. The bathrooms have a big communal sink with nicely scented soap from C.O. Bigelow (+lotion!). The staff were all very helpful with recommendations (both food and drink), and the prices are actually quite reasonable for the amount of food you get.

    We ordered the fish stew, frites topped with eggs from georgia, and fresh radishes with butter and sea salt, and it filled us to the brim. The beers were great as well, and we definitely did not have any more room for dessert. We did take a peek at the dessert menu and they have cheeses along with the more traditional sweets.

    We're definitely coming back here again to try out brunch! A great venue for a casual outing with friends :o].

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/8/2009

    Pronounced "Poo-blican" according to my sister.

    So a Mr. M and I have been having a great time exploring the city together (e.g. ventured south to the Oriental Institute and Medici Bakery earlier today, both delightful). After reading the Chicago Glutton review of the Publican, it became a high priority on the list of things-to-do in this great city of ours. So, following a delightful chamber music concert presented by the Chicago-Institute for the Law and Humanities, we made the short walk over to Fulton Market.

    Around 9 p.m. on a Tuesday night, the Publican was still going, but not too loud, and we were seated immediately. M later reported that he was put-off by the host, as his attempt at imitating Adrian Grenier's look was a little too literal. Regardless, the place looks great, as if sister-restaurant Avec had expanded and manned-up a bit. Hanging pendant lamps are beautifully repeated across the ceiling, but provide subdued lighting; you and your date will both look handsome here (not that M and I need any help in that department).

    Food (and libations): Just okay. The d-baggy expense accounters next to us highly recommended the mussels. Now, I had never had mussels before, so I was a little apprehensive about these. However, for a first experience, they were quite good--not chewy at all, covered in a light-ish butter sauce that gave way to just a hint of the sea after a few (hesitant) chews. However, we followed this with the half-chicken course, which was just too salty, nothing special. It sad atop a bed of ho-hum fries and oily, salty sauce.

    All of this was paired nicely with a Belgian Pale Ale. If I were to come back, I would get much less food and just enjoy one of the many great beers offered. In the interest of full disclosure, the beer recommendation wasn't brilliantly inspired. My teetotaler friends could have come up with the mussels/Belgian white combo. Still good, but the lack of creativity was kind of a drag.

    Service: A little funky. Started off with the Grenier-wannabe host, and things got weirder from there. Our waitress seemed drunk or high or something. Very wobbly, in a bobble-head way. She was very nice, but the wobbliness led to her pouring an entire glass of head rather than beer. Disappointing at such a beer-centric place. Also some creepy guy comes out with your food, so apparently her only function was to bob up and down while making recommendations to us. Adam Smith would be fascinated by this division of labor (and possibly the gratuity).

    Value: I'll just say, all of the above may have been forgivable, as this place does have a nice beer menu, a great location, and style. But, not worth it when the ho-hum chicken, mussels, and poorly-poured beer ran up a $71 bill.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/19/2009

    If you love meat, especially different types of meat, then you'll be in hog heaven. Get it? Hog heaven? Ha.. ha.... ha.. .. .. .

    I like meat too, but I prefer a little bit more balance. Still, the food was pretty good and I had nothing to complain about. The decor is interesting. I felt like I was in a barn with stalls. A swanky barn, mind you. And the bathrooms didn't have mirrors.  Come on, with all that meat, I need to check my teeth to make sure my date wasn't staring at a random pepper flake as we do our requisite small talk. Give a girl some help here.

    Our server was helpful and polite. They got our plates out of the way and refilling water without being intrusive. I had a good experience here.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/6/2012

    Absolutely unbelievable!  Best brunch in the city, hands down.  

    A few months back my boyfriend and I accompanied a group here for brunch.  Immediately, I fell in love with the charm of the atmosphere- the staff were all very cordial and at-the-ready and I particularly loved the rustic meets modern décor with the communal style tables.  Having arrived a bit before our party, my boyfriend and I got drinks and waited.  He chose a seasonal cocktail, and I a mimosa.  (It was brunch, after all!)  Both were quite lovely.  We were soon seated with our party, and my friend who had previously been there, took charge and ordered about a dozen different items- breads, sides, and entrées, with a round of Bloody Mary's to start.  Not my first choice in beverages, my mind was soon changed, and I became a fan.  The Publican's recipe was unlike anything I have ever had before, and I enjoyed every sip.  Our meal soon followed, and I can't tell you one dish that stood out, as all were spectacular.  The presentation was lovely, and the unique combination of taste and textures created a true culinary experience that I soon would not forget.  My boyfriend LOVED the bacon with maple syrup and the weiswurst, I enjoyed the omelet and we both thought the breads were scrumptious.  Needless to say, I left very, very full and pleased. I will be back again very soon to try a few items that also caught my eye, which was, pretty much, the entire menu.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/9/2013

    Always interesting, always tasty, and the best beer knowledge in Chicago.  My advice: if you're picky, go to Morton's. The Publican is for people that aren't afraid to try new things.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/27/2010

    I like. As far as the place and the food is concerned, I think a 4 is appropriate. To be fair, I did have high expectation b/c of its "sister" restaurants, avec and blackbird, both of which-esp. avec--are better. However, I really liked the service, and that's the icing. I just went there for my husband's birthday, and apparently the server (the guy w/dreads) overheard us say something about his birthday and put a lit candle on our dessert (so sweet!). We also tried a lot of things and had changes yet he remembered everything w/out us even repeating it (though he had about 4 words on his pad).

    Anyway, the inside is pretty cool. They probably chopped down a forest to fashion this restaurant, but I still like it. LOVED the char on bread, my fries were just ok (but I guess you can only expect so much from fries, the mussels were pretty good (though the sauce they were served in was delicious and they gave you break to soak it up), and, what I waited for the entire night, the dessert waffle w/blueberries and honey butter (that's not completely true, I wanted the eclair but it was my husband's bday so he got to choose)was...meh. I would have given the place a 9 (I wish yelp started doing things out of 10), but I'm rounding up.

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/1/2010

    To say that I have been eagerly anticipating the day that I would dine at Publican is an understatement! However, I have conquered and feel slightly disappointed....

    I went here on a Friday night, around 8:30 pm and this place was packed! We were seated at a cozy two top and could not wait to try one of their many (many, many, many) different types of beers.

    To start with, our server was not helpful - I had explained that this was our first time there and asked for suggestions. Nope, not a hint, nada.
    So a go at it on our own....

    Half a dozen oysters (very good) although the vinegar was not my cup of tea, next the imfamous pork rinds - really folks, this is like pork flavored rice cakes, the pickles came next (oh sorry, our server said pickles, not pickled veggies - oops, 2 star deduction due to awful service.

    The entrees we tried were the pork belly (this alone is a 5 star rating) it was perfect! I had asked our server whether to go with the sweetbreads or the sausage, she said "sweetbreads are yucky and she doesn't like the texture"....ok, with that said, ummm, we'll try the sausage. That was as helpful as she got for the whole night.

    For the money and hype - it fell short of meeting my expectations but if you go - you must have the pork belly!

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/26/2013

    loved every single dish!!

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/28/2010
    1 check-in

    This is my current, top Chicago fave...a plus that I live in the neighborhood as well so it is easy access!

    I have been to the Publican twice now and there has been no disappointment. The oysters are great to start off with...this coming from someone who never had oysters before!...this first experience with the shells was yummy!

    Also, I would say the mussels here are the best in the city...big portion that comes with bread so anyone can dip in the broth/sauce.
    The pork belly is the specialty and for pork lovers - it's tasty. I really like the kobe beef on the menu...and the kale as a side is top-notch.

    A great taste experience...great beer menu...super knowledgeable and attentive staff...perfect atmosphere for all you foodies with a guy's feel to it! Reservations, esp on the weekends, are a must....and ENJOY!

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/10/2009
    1 check-in

    The food here is great! They have a nice variety of oysters served with mignonette (which is my favorite way for oysters to be served). All the oysters we had were delicious and very fresh.

    The Hamachi Crudo was to die for. It was seasoned perfectly and the pistachios added a nice butteriness to the fish without overwhelming the delicate nature.

    We also tried the Veal Sweetbreads, which almost tasted like foie. The preparation was perfect (similiar to MK's early fall preparation of foie). It was so delicious and the best part was that they didn't cook the poor sweetbreads to death, which many places tend to do.

    Our larger plate selections included the Walleye Fry and the Pork Belly. We loved both. The Pork Belly was perfectly crisped and the ragout was delightful. The belly was so tender and I appreciated that they rendered a lot of the fat off which resulted in a nice chunk of pork belly that melted in your mouth. The walleye fry was also very delicious. The remoulade-like sauce was a nice touch and the sweet potato sticks were awesome.

    The food was served rather quick here. Great beer selection and a nice alternative to going to a fancy wine-dinner. Best of all everything was reasonably priced.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/13/2011
    1 check-in

    Sunday brunch, sitting outside.  Just about as good as it gets.  Great food.  Great ambience.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/18/2010

    Amazing food, laid back atmosphere. The Publican has top-notch food for a great price without all of the arrogance of other places.

    My fiance and I went there in July. Made reservations online, showed up a half hour before and were seated right away. The layout and atmosphere is laid back and comfortable. No suit jackets, many people in shorts, including us.

    Beer and wine list are extensive, but the servers are all knowledgable to help make the right selection. I had a Victory Golden Monkey and Allagash White, both for $5. A small carafe of shiraz cost $11 and my fiance easily got three glasses out of it.

    The plates are larger and meant to be shared. We didn't know this until we sat down, but still managed to share to entrees with no problem. The peasant bread is awesome and a great start. We had the chef's choice 6 oysters, three from the west coast and three from the east. All distinct flavors and a good deal at $15.

    Our first entree was the flank steak with peaches, corn and pistachios. Unbelievable. The corn and peaches were sweet and added a whole new flavor to the meat. The pistachios were a nice surprise.

    Followed that up with the trout with roasted squash and tomatoes. A whole fish, head on, for $28. Fantastic as well. Cooked perfectly, with crispy fried skin, and an herb and cheese mixture inside. We almost at the fins it was so good.

    Topped off the meal with the waffle with honey butter and peaches. Sweet, but not to heavy. A really great way to end the meal.

    We ended the whole meal feeling very satisfied. Definitely going back again. We want to have the mussels, frites and fish stew - all of which passe dby our table after we ordered and almost made us change our decisions.

    The Publican is a very unique dining experience and well worth the money spent. If you are looking to try something new or have a bit of luxury without all of the pomp, this is definitely the place to go.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/2/2009

    The Publican was such a great brunch experience that I definitely want to come back for dinner or drinks.  My friends and I came on a Sunday morning and, unlike most brunch spots on a Sunday, there wasn't a line out the door.  The food was heavenly!  I had the scrapple and fried eggs.  Now, this wasn't normal scrapple (i.e. the kind you find in a greasy diner), it was practically gourmet - finer cuts of pork with corn meal.  The eggs were perfect.  Even my side of hash browns were just right.  All for a mere $12 or so.  You can't find a more reasonable brunch with food this good.

    I couldn't complain about the food, but the seating is a bit weird.  I would've preferred to sit in one of their strange-looking box booths, but instead we were sat at one long communal table, which meant I had to get cozy with another group of people next to me.

    Awkward seating arrangements, but fantastic food.  Can't wait to come back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/19/2009 Updated review

    The brunch is out of this world. I can't see why people wait for an hour for the Bongo Room breakfast when you can walk into the Publican and get a brunch that is 10 times better without the wait or the D-baggery.

    Great bloody mary's that come with a sidecar of your choice of 4-5 beers (this is a beer joint, so natty ice isn't an option). Good coffee with constant refills. Best of all the menu is organized and priced, so you can try a bunch of different things. We shared the waffle with rhubarb and maple butter. It was crunchy and extraordinarily light. Then I had the Publican Bacon which are very thick rashers braised in maple syrup and the "ramped" hash browns, which are as you'd expect hash browns made with ramps. Both were spectacular.

    I hope that the Publican brunch works. Their dinner is very good and, to me, their brunch is even better.

    4.0 star rating
    10/23/2008 Previous review
    In an alternative world, big rooms filled with salty pork and oysters and large steins of great beer… Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    3/10/2010

    I am addicted to this place.. such a cool atomsphere, delicious menu, and great people watching.  We went for dinner and then another time after a game for drinks and apps.  Paul never disappoints with his menu or design..
    indulge in the pork rinds.. it is hard not to eat them all!

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/20/2009

    Too bright? Wha? I think this place was really nicely lit with all those big glowy things. Maybe it's too bright if you've not been... anywhere else? Ever? And you're a moleman?

    One of my most favorite (and generous) humans, Kris W., and I went here at 6:30 on a Tuesday night. We had a reservation, but I think it would have been okay anyway. The staff was kind and accommodating. We were pleased to be seated by the window and warmed by gentle overhead heaters. There's a little shelf under the chair to put your purse, and they took our coats when we came in! Who does that anymore?

    We had a wonderful cherry ale to start with and enjoyed some fabulous chewy sourdough bread, sister's upcoming wedding be damned. Also in the "wedding be damned" category were the fantastically spicy and loud pork rinds (too loud to eat with anyone you want to impress, but generally cool) and frites, which came with a super fresh fried egg on top (!) I don't particularly care for french fries, but these were great. Apparently, all they need is a little bright orange egg yolk and I'm good to go.

    Roughly 2500 calories in we got to the showstopper, the country ribs, which tasted like no animal I've had the pleasure to snack on. Totally tasty and perfect to share.  

    For dessert, we also shared the pear and cherry crostada, which I really enjoyed-- not too sweet, and went really well with a deluxe cup of coffee. I especially enjoyed the brown sugar cube in lieu of my usual Splenda and the pretty little tea cup in which it was served.

    It's supposed to be a Belgian beer hall, or so I was told by the chef on our way out. I also overheard the host on the phone saying that the new Iron Chef was going to be dining there sometime soon (!).

    We easily found street parking- the neighborhood is exclusively made up of meat markets and new fancy schmancy boutiques. Someone should write a dissertation on how that works.

    Hurray! Thank you to Kris for a wonderful evening! :)

  • 3.0 star rating
    12/22/2011

    Not a huge fan to be honest.  I read all the great reviews and tried a ton of dishes.  I AM definitely a meat eater btw some of the less than stellar reviews were from veggies which is understandable.  Definitely over-rated...not the best but definitely not the worst.  I wouldn't go back as other places in the neighborhood have surpassed my expectations...but worth a try once.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

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  • 5.0 star rating
    11/22/2011

    Ordered atleast six things off the menu to share between five girlfriends last night  and everything was delicious.  My favorite beyond any doubt was the Denver Sole -- a whole fish topped with unbelievably sweet, sweet potatoes.  I order fish all the time, and wasn't expecting much from a white fish, but this exceeded all my expectations.

  • 1.0 star rating
    10/23/2008

    Biggest disappointment in a long time.

    Schizo atmosphere.  Lots of LA wannabes quaffing good beer they could get at half the price somewhere else.  For good beer skip this joint, save a pile, and go to the map room, clark st. ale house or the longroom.  For good food AND good beer go to the hopleaf.  Seriously.  Our server said the ham was the signature dish.  That is what we got.  33$ later we got 3 slices of bread, some butter, and 3 ounces of ham.  1/3 of that was the thin sliced equivalent of "the waffle house" salt pork, only saltier.  And, if you want service in a reasonable amount of time, go someplace else.  Look around and you see lots of people wondering where their server is.  I know they are only a month old, but it felt like opening night; no signs that things are going to come together soon.

    In summary, no matter what you are looking for, this place doesn't have it, go elsewhere.

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/3/2009

    Had late dinner reservations for 10:00pm on Saturday night at The Publican.  One thing that strikes you right away when you walk into the restaurant is that it's pretty noisy--probably a mixture of the room acoustics and the clientele, which seemed to consist mostly of the younger post-college crowd.  I can't say I was a fan of the room setup:  As our table wasn't ready when we arrived, the host suggested we wait at the "bar," a set of five or six tables for standing in the middle of the dining room and surrounded on three sides by the communal long tables where most of the patrons sit.  This, in itself, probably wouldn't have been so bad except for the fact that we were the only people at the "bar," awkwardly standing around smack in the middle of tables and tables full of diners.  The hostess seemed to sincerely apologize for the long wait, and the kitchen gave us a complimentary order of their signature spicy pork rinds to go together with our initial round of beers and a chef's selection of three hams.  I wasn't all that impressed by the pork rinds, but the selection of hams was superb.  We also had a chef's selection of a half-dozen oysters, which were okay, but clearly not a highlight of the restaurant.  For dinner, we ordered a blood sausage, the pork country ribs, and another (apparently unmemorable) pork item.  Only the country ribs really stood out--perfectly cooked with a nice aroma and flavor.

    As generally unexciting the food was, the beer selection was an adventure (in a good way).  A friend had recommended one of the "champagne" beers, and the DeuS did very nicely--very smooth but without the sweetness of champagne, albeit a challenge to pour without creating a large head of foam.  The staff was also very knowledgeable and helpful as we waded through the large selection of almost all entirely unfamiliar beers.  It was a nice surprise to see some items from the Great Lakes Brewing Company in my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio (and, no, it wasn't Dortmunder Gold!).

    The staff was pretty friendly but seemed just a tad undermanned.  Adding one or two more waiters would probably fit the restaurant with the appropriate amount of service.

    Overall, Publican was a decent restaurant.  I wouldn't necessarily turn down an invitation to go there, but I'm not going to make an effort to schedule a second visit.  On the other hand, if you're a beer enthusiast, I could easily see you returning again and again.  Otherwise, pay a visit, enjoy a beer, take it all in, and then move on.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/3/2009

    The food here is fantastic!!!

    We sat at the bar so I'm not too sure about the other seating situations that people felt so passionately about.  We had WONDERFUL service from Pauly at the bar.  He told me I could do "whatever I want" so he got major bonus points for that.

    We had the oysters- we tried the deep bay and the nootka and the wionna- the wionna were my fave!  Then we had the mussles and they give you a pretty nice sized portion- good for two to share or for one as an entree even.  I could have used a ladle for the sauce in the pan cause it was so yummy but they give you a nice loaf of warm crusty bread for dipping.  I had to try really hard not to eat all that bread, knowing we were in for much more.

    After the mussles we had the pork rinds. I never thought I'd like pork rinds so much!  Following the rinds, we tried the charcuterie plate.  I LOVED this!  The terrine with the fig inside was awesome and the head cheese was great with the salt on top.  The pork pie wasn't my fave but the chef boyfriend liked it.  And the sausage was superb with the yellow-ish mustard.  Everything on this plate is scrumptious!!

    We followed this with the beef heart, the kale and the steak tartare with frites.  The fries were good but not the earth-shattering moment I thought I'd be having after reading some of these reviews.  I was more focused on the MEAT!   Vegetarians beware.  Even the kale has meat in it!  The steak tartare was excellent.  I can't say that beef heart would be my first choice the next time but I was glad to try it.

    We had the waffle and the caramel nut tart for dessert (I know we are crazy eaters).  I LOVED the caramel nut tart.  The waffle is also good- very light and crispy and the butter is almost too good if you know what I mean!

    The bathrooms are really cool and ladies, there are definitely mirrors now!!  Love the soap and lotions too!

    I really don't know what people are complaining about in the reviews on here.  Maybe you should go on a Monday cause the place was busy but not packed and everything was top-notch.  If you truly love food then I recommend trying this one out.

  • 3.0 star rating
    11/19/2009

    SHORT VERSION: liked it, loved the BEETS, good experience.

    FOOD
    Freebies: the bread and butter that come out right away are very good. It is that rustic bread that's really hearty. The water is great b/c it's cold with no ice. It's constantly refilled, and if you're just too fast for them, you have your own bottle of water at your table.

    Hamachi: so good, loved the delicate flavors. So light, but not stingy with the serving. This is served sashimi-ish, so it's raw. Delish. Great flavor combinations, especially with the fennel.

    Mussels: I've never had them like this, all broth-y with celery. A little on the tame side, but the peasant bread that comes with it that you can dip in the broth is very good. I usually love mussels but wasn't blown away. I will, however, say that these were some of the best quality of mussels I've ever had. Plump, healthy, flavorful. I might just be used to spicy sauces and garlics that usually accompany many mussel dishes. I think this dish tries to simply feature the mussel, which is fine, and appropriate considering, as I said before, these are really great quality mussels.  

    Beets: AMAZING. Really. And not just b/c I love beets in general. It was so earthy and it came with a savory flavored sour cream (I would guess it was flavored with chive and truffle oil)  that went perfectly with the vinaigrette (guessing balsamic) and sweetness of the beets. I've never had beets THIS good. Dwight Shrute couldn't love these beets more.

    Country Ribs: Very tasty, but it really reminded me of Korean ribs: kalbi. Not in cut/meat, but in flavor/marinade. I'd rather go for Korean if I want this flavor. But it IS pretty delicious, nevertheless.

    SERVICE
    Great! Water was constantly filled. Table constantly cleared when different courses came out. Friendly staff. We were 10 minutes late to our reservation and they were great accommodating us.

    ATMOSPHERE
    Pretty loud, shared tables which adds to the shared style eating experience. Warm colors, woods throughout. Large pictures of pigs on the wall. It's  a combination of classy, hearty, country, contemporary. Long wood tables, different chinas (but I think only 2).

    OVERALL
    Really great quality ingredients. I had a very nice experience. I would go back, and will. I want to try the oysters, pork rinds and sweetbreads. Oh, and those heavenly BEETS...

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/7/2009

    Meat Mecca Fulton Market is in no short supply of swine or beast, but Publican be not a modest feast.  

    Paintings of pig, adorn the wall,
    Bacon, prosciutto and the like,
    elevated to art then swallowed,
    as is right.  

    A card and picture of old thus given, inspired the above:

    "Here's to the mad butcher,
    Who with blades that Blur,
    Carves the Barnyard's Fetid Flavor
    Into rare meats
    We graciously cook and, respectfully Savory."

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/23/2010

    Brunch @ The Publican

    Must Eats_

    1/ Red Wine Poached Eggs

    Like yolky yellow Cabernet Merlot in a glass, these eggs are uncomparable to any style of eggs I've ever tasted. bit.ly/b0BWT9 Simple. Authentic. A pleasant, yet trippy experience to taste red wine and soft, runny eggs in the same bite.

    2/ Fresh Ricotta & Honey_
    bit.ly/acoovg

    The texture of this ricotta is just so pillow-y. You may just feel like you're eating a cloud. Light. Refreshing. Sweet and sorta sour cherries the time I had 'em... balanced well with chopped pistachios.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/21/2013

    I ate here for the fourth time last weekend, i don't normally review when i have a good or ok experience, just when i have a bad one. But when a restaurant  consistently delivers, good food, drink , service, ambience each and every time, a place deserves a 5* review.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/31/2009

    This is a solid place.  Bit pricey but you get a great selection of beer, solid to excellent food (though a bit rich) pay for a wonderful ambiance .  Try the Country Ribs. I think it's the best item on the menu.

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/20/2010

    It's definitely about the food more than the beer at The Publican, and somehow the food didn't add up to more than the sum of its parts. Gastropub, this is NOT!  It's a restaurant ... and the design is a bit much, honestly.

    First, the good:

    Potted Rillettes, fig & sourdough - just as it should be, though some kosher salt on the table would have made it better.  Real bread!

    Sweetbreads, ramps, tangerine - rockin' dish, highly recommended!

    Citrus Salad w/ Beets - well dressed, though half the beets would still have been too many.  Overall, quite tasty!

    The not so good:

    Sardines, preserved eggplant, yogurt - nope ... not even close.  Sent it back.

    Oyster Plate - Oysters were fine, though just too cold ... also, mignonette is more than just vinegar & shallots.  Wha? No horseradish?  What am I, in the middle of the country?  And who serves them on a pedestal?

    I'd go back for another try, but there's some hype here that the food just doesn't live up to.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/18/2010

    Party of three seated in one of the pig stalls.

    Great beers.

    Really enjoyed...pork rinds (ordered two!), frites and eggs, arugula & shaved brisket salad, pork ribs and curried cauliflower, Hamachi crudo...well, everything we had was top notch.  The server was very helpful and friendly.  The restaurant has wonderfully, soft lighting.

    Not a fan of the communal seating area (only part of the dining room) and the menu is very limited.

    This place is a meat packing district 'scene' so expect a crowd.  We will be back for more piggy delights.

  • 2.0 star rating
    10/15/2008

    You may just have to experience it yourself, but I think Publican was designed-from space to menu-by people who hate people.

    I fully understand the "communal table" dining experience, in fact I sort of like it.  What I *don't* get is everything else.

    The layout of the place is just odd.  Why cram ALL of the dining into 1/2 the room? One 1/2 the room is the weird booth stalls and communal tables crammed against them.  The other 1/2 of the room is occupied by a few  heavy wooden high-boy contraptions surrounded by NOTHING for 15' all around, and the odd bar.  The room's also INSANELY LOUD.  

    The bar... a small (10 people?) L-shaped bar that's made of (wet) perforated metal, with the glass washer and taps within inches of where you set your drink, and where the bartender will set your paper menu (in my case literally on top of the glass washer).  On the smaller part of the L... seafood on ice.  Mmm... how's that beer?

    Speaking of the beer... great selection, but zero elaboration on any of their draught options.  Name, where from, size, pricey price.  If I'm spending $10 on a glass of beer I don't recognize, it'd be great to know something about it.  Why not write a sentence description?  Hopleaf does and some of the best beers I've ever had have started with that little menu.

    It's the same issue with the food menu... minimal description, maximum price.  It spends more time spelling out the exact address of my pig's home than what's on the plate:

    Pork Short Rib -  Wilshire Region County Farm, Whatever, IL
    with peasant bread, $20

    ...or something like that.  

    Now granted, 75% of the food we had was pretty good  (except the ribs, they were INSANELY salty... and I loves me some salt).

    Summary:

    Good beer... if you're familiar

    Mostly decent food... if you're in the know

    Little wooden box booths... if you're one of the 10% of the people there that get one.

    Not so much.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/21/2009

    Loved it.  LOVED IT!!!  I'm so glad i waited for the kinks to be worked out because it was totally worth it.  I've been a few times now and it gets better every time.  

    The most recent visit, for my boy's bday, i made a res and requested non-communal seating.  The host (dead ringer for vince from entourage) was very accommodating with a lovely two-top right by the picture windows.  It only got better from there, our server was top notch and the beer list is to die for, if you don't know what you like, ask your waiter, they are bursting with recommendations.

    The food was amazing:  You MUST be an adventurous eater to enjoy the food here, it's a nose-to-tail concept place.  MUST TRY: charcuterie plate (the pork and duck terrine, WOAH), pork shoulder/chorizo dish, mussels, oysters, and the fresh ricotta (ours came with fried sage, roasted squash, and pancetta).  The seafood dishes hold their own against the meat creations, so don't be shy!

    tips: make a reservation and be specific about desired seating.  it gets NUTS in here, esp on the weekends, you'll end up waiting forever if you attempt to walk in.  Also, it's pretty loud but makes for a great place to start the night.  The best beers come in 750ml bottles and the women's bathroom all the way on the right has a mirror in it.  happy pig time :)

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/24/2008

    1/2 star ratings are REALLY NEEDED. I would give Publican 3.5 stars.

    I went on a Saturday night and I was sitting across from the guys from Anthrax, now, by looking at my photo, you may not think that would excite me, but what you don't know is that I am a self-proclaimed, rock chick from way back. Let's try to stay focused on the review....

    The Room.
    A significant risk and I applaud the owners for taking this risk because it is an unusual lay out which I find refreshing in this sea of "the same". I thought the room looked like the staging for a German Opera and that at any moment, we the actors (diners in this case), would break out into drinking song.

    There is one giant U shaped table in the room, the seating is communal to the point that one is imprisoned in their chair. The ginormous chairs are too heavy and cumbersome to pull in and out without significantly disrupting your neighbor's experience. I do like that you can stand in the middle of the U and wait for your table, and there can be a significant wait. The bar space is awkward but I think I'd get used to it. In fact, I think next time, and there will be a next time, I will sit at the bar.

    The lighting was the only thing that bugged me, it is bright. I look much better in dim lighting, particularly as I age.

    The Beer list.
    Huge. I don't know much about beer, but I do know that there are plenty of 8 and 9 point beers on this menu, I need not know more.

    The food.
    I don't dine on swine - therefore, this posed a problem for me. I did have two very good salads. The fish portion of the menu is enough to keep me fed while my pig-loving friends eat 'till their hearts content.

    The staff.
    Paul the bartender, very, very friendly and helpful. Our server, a lovely girl, was great at describing the food. Only one minor flaw, when I asked about the Monk Fish Liver she had not tasted it and could not adequately describe it to me, she had to ask two people before she could deliver an acceptable answer.

    The beer guru they sent over to help me with the beer list, well, he was 12. I did not find him in the least bit helpful. I don't know anything about beer and I need a lot of hand holding. When I go to a restaurant and ask to speak with a sommelier, they can deal with my ignorance, this guy could not. In fact, someone mentions the Maproom in one of these reviews, I was there earlier this week and the bartender at Maproom knew her stuff exponentially better than this guy, or at least could communicate her knowledge better, perhaps Publican should recruit her?  

    And one last note, Donnie Madia's outfit matched the decor of the room. How many outfits does this man have that he can pull together a look to match each one of his restaurants?

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/18/2010

    I'll try to compose a sane, objective assessment of this place before the gizz starts flying everywhere and this review devolves into something resembling food porn. (However, if you're not interested in foreplay and want to skip straight to the double-penetration, scroll down to the Chicken and Fries.)

    This is was my 2nd visit to the Publican, and in a city where I am always wanting to try someplace new, that is my strongest endorsement: I went back a second time. It's THAT good.

    This place is absolutely focused on food. That might seem like a obvious statement, considering that it's a restaurant, thank you, but I am serious. No contrived atmosphere. No overwrought plating or presentations. No distractions. Just simple globe lighting over dark and sturdy community tables within a large open space in an inconvenient warehouse-district location. Paintings of enormous English swine are the only decor (hanging over the "pig pens"...more on those later.) Energetic crowd, filled with people who are genuinely thrilled to have gotten a reservation here...

    What they serve at The Publican are flawlessly-prepared, authentic rustic dishes of pork and seafood. What really impressed me was the range and variety of preparations....everything from smoked fish and charcuterie to a delicate sea bass crudo....yet it all made sense together in the end, tied together by a respectful, straightforward treatment of carefully-sourced ingredients. (NOTE: the menu is not for the faint of heart. Lotsa organs and brains and livers and fish heads. No pun.)

    The beer list is also top notch, another highlight of the Publican, with a cool selection of little-known artisan beers from all over the globe.

    THE PIG PENS: If you've got a party of 4, you might get seated in the "pig pens", where you get boxed in behind these wooden half-doors. They're cool in the sense that they add a feeling of privacy in an otherwise crowded restaurant, but it comes with a price. I'm not sure if this started out as a misguided attempt to build empathy between you and your prospective meal, or a play at simulating a barnyard atmosphere in the Near West Side (at least, they spared us the hay and manure), but the reality is that these pig pens are a bit uncomfortable and impractical, especially for a bunch of really tall dudes. (Together, the guy sitting next to me and I combined for about 13 feet and 500 lbs of uncoordinated male splendor. When someone had to leave for the pissoir, it was like a clown car scene, with all the clowns stumbling drunk and tripping over each other to get out of the little car.) In the end, it didn't matter. I was so enamoured with the food, it would have been just fine if they had sat me in an outhouse to enjoy my head cheese and smoked sardines.

    DOUBLE PENETRATION: Half Farm Chicken and Pomme Frites. This is where things got a little out of control.  Once I got a taste of my chicken, perfectly juicy and seasoned and so hot it seared my upper lip, I just kinda drifted into my own little poultry-fantasy world...occasionally emitting some soft groaning, grunting, and other sex-like noises....drifting further... drifting..I was suddenly a lost and hungry traveller....rescued from starvation by a friendly Iowa farm family...the wife fussing over some hot potatoes...the old farmer himself smiling approvingly at me while I devour his bird like a savage....(we make solid eye contact as I wipe some grease from my face onto my shirt-sleeve...he likes this, too)....oh yes...yes...yesssss...and now the daughter...what?...do I want to see her worm farm?...why yes, I'd be delighted....now there's a wardrobe malfunction in the chicken coop....what?.....

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/19/2011

    My First trip to Chicago and our friends took us to The Publican. OMG the BACON is to DIE FOR!! I wish we had something like this in Los Angeles. I'm kind of jealous. All of the food is delicious prices are bit high... but who cares i was on vacation!

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/14/2011

    I love the simplicity of this pub style fare food but at the same time I love the elegance that the its able to maintain.  I went there for brunch.   Coffee was delicious.  Service was great.  Can't wait to go back for dinner.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/28/2011

    I LOVE thier brunch.  For our two year anniversary, they gave us some champagne on the house.  I got the red wine poached eggs - so incredibly good.  :)  I love it, I had to use my hands to eat it faster.  Hubby got the chicken fried steak - very hearty and tasty.  Side of hash browns were extra crispy.  Ordered a bloody mary and got pretty buzzed.  Great flavor and spicy!

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/2/2010

    Been to Publican several times now and it is great. I have had pretty much everything on the menu, and don't think I have ever had a bad dish. I love the communal seating and the atmosphere. The beer list is extensive and full of interesting finds. The only negative I have expericed is the service. Hit or miss depending on the visit but overall Publican is still top notch. Enjoy!

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/15/2010

    SUNDAY BRUNCH:

    Dynamite!!!

    These plates were delicious! Reminded me of my 5 years living in SF and going to wine country . . . and the reason I moved to Chicago.  Midwest picks up where they West Coast leaves off when it comes to using fat and heavier flavors.  

    1) red wine poached egg, prosciutto, sourdough & bearnaise: the wine pairing with the proscuitto was spot on and the sourdough was no ordinary sourdough, almost brioche like as it stayed crispy while soaking up the delicious red wine infused bernaise.

    2) Pastrami Short Rib: O MY!   Been to some of the best deli's in NYC, LA and B-more (yea I said it), and this was insanely perfect.  I could not get enough of this.  

    3) Publican Bacon ala pork belly.  get the hell out here!  this should come in candy form.

    Publican Bloody was one of my all-time favorites.  perfect flavor, Spicy, great consistency.  Garnishments but No pickle.  That made me sad and I almost went 4 stars, but its just a pickle.

    Go here for Sunday Brunch, its not the seafood and meat/sausage spread but one of the best Sunday Brunch's I've ever had.  

    I can't wait to try dinner.

  • 1.0 star rating
    10/17/2008

    I suppose if you want a great beer that you're unlikely to find anywhere else in Chicago this *might* be the place to go.

    *  But its the morning after and my ears still hurt.  

    *   I was hoarse after having to yell the entire meal.  
    (Just as an aside I've been to beer gardens in Germany and I never experienced anything this loud.  I've also been to pubs in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland...ditto).

    *  They definitely skimped out on the blood sausage in the Tripe & Blood sausage gratin.  There were two pieces of sausage in there...and they were both smaller than tiny marbles.

    *  The service is slower than slow.  They need more computers--at one point there was a line 3 servers long to enter orders.  Nice planning.

    *  I felt like it was too expensive for what I got...hoarse and a double earache.

    Overall, I'd say go to Benny's Beverage Depot to get more exotic beers.  Save your ears, your voice and your wallet.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/13/2008

    We went here for dinner the night after it opened. We didn't have reservations but went early, around 5:30 PM, and were seated right away. By the time we left though, the place was PACKED.

    The decor is interesting. The ceiling has tons of large light fixtures all in a row. The furniture is all heavy wood and over sized (tall backs). It has a distinct Amish look to it.  Along one side of the restaurant are these cool booths that actually have doors that close you into them.  We tried to get one of those but they were reserving them for parties of three or more. The only other seating option is the communal tables in the center of the restaurant.  So be prepared to get cozy with the strangers sitting next to you.  And FYI that the bathrooms are unisex so you go to the back and just walk in any one of like 5 doors.

    We ordered the $25 bottle of Malbec, three dishes, and two desserts (and a small dessert bottle of wine). Cost was $140, not including tip.  And it was the right amount of food.  We were full and felt like we had experienced many different items. The service was great. Our waitress made various suggestions and I felt like she really knew the menu well.

    The main course consisted of mussels, a sausage dish, and a sampler plate with three different meats (can't remember exactly what was on there). The two desserts were a gingersnap cookie and ice cream as well as an apple crisp. The main courses were great.  The desserts were just so-so.  

    Between the food and decor, this place is worth checking out.

  • 2.0 star rating
    3/31/2011

    OVERRATTED. Many foodies i know have suggested this place, and i don't know why. I now think less of them and take their suggestions with a grain of salt. the only reason i give two stars is because of the beer list.  it reminded me of really a bad culinary school menu.  We went in with a party of six and ordered over half the menu to share. Service was on point, but lacking any character what so ever, so did the food.  Souless and bland country cooking. Yuck. I will never go back.  Instead i suggest the Gilt bar. Those boys know what's up. If you are into pale white and tasteless, please by all means this place is for you.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/5/2010

    Four words: pork rinds, beer, pig

    You can't go wrong! I polished off the pork rinds before my husband's eyes. Frites were great. Pork belly was delicious. Country ribs rocked. Apple salad was a great compliment with our entrees.

    Service is attentive and great! Will visit again!

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/29/2009 Updated review

    Returned to the Publican several weeks ago and was blown away.  The beer list is truly amazing--and that compliment is coming from a self-professed beer snob.  Menu highlights for me were the Boudin Blanc (extraordinarily delicious),  Potee, and (believe it or not) a walleye fish special.  I love fish but have gravitated away from most fresh water fish--this was a welcome surprise!  

    I am increasing my rating from 3/5 to 4/5 stars.  Highly Recommended.

    3.0 star rating
    10/17/2008 Previous review
    Walking into The Publican feels like entering an old German beer hall or possibly a medieval dinner… Read more
  • 3.0 star rating
    2/15/2011

    I've longed to go here since they opened. Well, I finally dined here on Sunday for dinner.
    -Hostess: warm and friendly
    -Main waiter: too scripted and you can tell he goes over the menu and beer list way too often.  Disappeared too often and we waited a lot.
    -Seating: communal and not my style. We were seated on the corner of the "L" shaped table.  Because we sat in the corner of the table, my man and I stared at strangers the entire time.
    -Food: *Oysters (dozen chef's selection) The BEST in Chicago, hands down.  *Country ribs (not what I pictured in my mind when ordering)  3 or 4 boneless strips of delicious pork and acorn squash.  *Skate fish ($20 and it was a small portion.) Not my favorite dish and I probably won't try that again.  *Frites with 2 eggs was alright but nothing special.  
    -Drinks: Had the Samuel Smith organic lager and  Krankshaft Ale.  Loved the selections!!!
    Overall, it was OK.  If I go back it will be for 3 dozen fresh shucked oysters from both coasts but that's about it.  We went home and made spagetti for dinner to make up for meal.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/21/2011

    A uniformly amazing, thoroughly manly, decadent dining option. Some highlights:

    -Beer list is justifiably legendary, and changes with regularity. Went here two nights ago for a drink and ordered a Weihenstephaner, went back last night for dinner and it had already been rotated out. Still, Bell's Octoberfest, North Coast Old #38 Stout, and Autumn Maple (10.5% alcohol) did not disappoint by any stretch of the imagination
    -Oysters on the half shell were all delicious and noticeably different in taste from one another. The same can be said about the "Taste of Three hams"
    -Duck liver pate is rich, has an unexpected yet very pleasant mustardy bite, and is served with, but not overwhelmed by, currants
    -Anchovies are fresh rather than canned, and cooked whole like smelts. Delicious
    -Hangar steak is perfectly cooked and complemented surprisingly well by feta and blueberries
    -Country rib is seared to a delectable crisp and melts like butter when you cut it with a fork
    -Desserts (nectarine tart with salted caramel ice cream, waffle with vanilla ice cream and rosemary syrup) are surprisingly worth saving room for.
    -Inside decor is like a classed-up German beer hall, but having said that, on a nice night opt for dining outside. Worth any extra wait.

    Paul Kahan is a true magician with his restaurants, and the Publican is no exception. Every bite is amazing. A worthy splurge and an absolute can't miss Chicago dining experience.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/7/2010

    This is hands down my favorite restaurant in Chicago.  The brunch is fabulous, the dinner is even more fabulous. Every person I have ever brought here has also fell in love.

    I literally have not has a bad dish here and I have eaten here more times than I care to admit, which is why I am giving a five star review.  Some highlights have been the waffle...whether for brunch or dessert at dinner, is one of the best things I have ever tasted.  The duck hearts are amazing, as well as the farm chicken with summer sausage. And of course, the fries with the egg on top are to die for.    

    The entire staff is lovely, especially Katie who remembers us every time we come in.  The Publican will remain a favorite go-to spot for amazing food and great atmosphere.

  • 3.0 star rating
    11/21/2008

    I was so excited to try this place.  I walked in and was very impressed by the decor.  Not that I expected anything less from the blackbird crew.  The bathrooms are a must see....LOL!  

    I was disappointed when they proceeded to seat me and my guest on top of two other couples.  I could barely breath, let alone talk across the table without engaging the other people sitting next to me.  I loved the idea of long tables throughout the room.  It is a very European concept although they could have done a better job of creating space between groups.  Especially for those that are looking for a more intimate setting.  We kindly asked to move and they seated us at a table in the front windows with are beautiful.  

    It took a good 10 minutes to get service, but once we did we were very impressed.  The menu was difficult to read but our waiter explained it to us well!  You'll have more than enough beers to chose from but don't be intimidated by the list.  They explained that as well.  If you not into meat I would not recommend this place.  The beef carpacio was perfect as well as the trout.  I loves the pickles too...not your typical kosher pickle.  For dessert I highly recommend the doughnuts.

    Overall, I would definitely return.  Probably better for a big group rather than a date. I think it might have been an off night as far as service!  LOve the bathrooms!!!

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/6/2009

    As much as I wanted to love this place, I gotta give it a "Like, but don't love" rating.  I met up with friends here on a Saturday night.  We expected it to be crowded and for there to be a wait.  Apparently they take reservations now, but we made a last minute decision to go, and decided to wait with a beer and appetizers.  

    Ambience: unique, slightly confusing.  I'm not bothered by the communal seating; however near the windows, there was also private seating for groups of 4 or more, separated by these sort of horsestall-like doors.  Weird.  I liked the fact that the waiting area is large and includes tall tables for drinks and appetizers and hooks underneath for coats and purses.  The whole place kind of reminded me of an upscale European beer hall.

    The food/beer:  Overall, it was pretty good, but not worth the price.  I'd go back and sit at the bar, have a beer and some oysters or the chauterie plate (think I misspelled that - oh well!)  Beer list was extensive and they have a great selection of Trappist ales, Belgians, American craft beers, and German wheats.  A little pricey, but good beer doesn't really come cheap.  The food was hit or miss.  Small plates were better than large ones.  The chicken with fries was tasty, but $21?  Ribs with polenta chips were fatty.  Pickle plates were good, but also expensive, and we got charged $3 for an egg on our fries.  $3.  For one egg.  Cripes.

    Service:  Not great.  Pushy when we wanted him to back off and lackadaisical when we needed him.  Also, we ordered the kale with pancetta, which never came.  Lucky for him, it also never showed up on our bill.  

    Overall, I liked this place all right, but it's way too trendy and scenester-y for my taste.  For a similar gastropub experience, but with better food and service, go to the Hopleaf in Andersonville.

  • 1.0 star rating
    12/1/2010

    After seeing countless pieces on the food Network and travel channel about Publican, I finally decided to try it.
    I've lived in Chicago's North Side my entire life.
    A foody at heart with a thriving Business whithin the loft zone not far from Publican. In my mind I am their core customer on this night with two clients by my side for the meal they have been waiting for.

    We were treated like garbage by the hostesses the moment we walked in the door.
    Offered a table by the kitchen entrance that should simply be dismantled because it's an insult to any human being, then shoved on the bar getting elbowed by servers the entire night.

    The food, eh. THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES. The pork rinds tasted like any pork rinds I've ever had. No folks, they are not anything more than what you get in a bag with some Cheetoh powder on them. The Pork belly....NOT EVEN CLOSE to David Changs Momofuku version I have flown to NY to enjoy.
    Not even close.

    The Pork/ham sampler plate was OK.
    Go to an Italian market instead.

    The blood sausage was nothing compared to what you get from legitimate shops along Milwaukee ave.
    The Fish stew was probably the best thing on our table. The sauce was perfectly seasoned.

    Needless to say, I am never stepping foot in Publican again.
    This place has grown on a trend created by Anthony Bourdain.
    It will thrive for a while. Too many people I know talk about it, or want to try it.
    But many intelligent, forward thinking people I have spoke to say the same thing as I.......

    ......just not worth it.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/4/2013

    I couldn't even talk about it at first because I loved it so much. The chicken liver pate is phenomenal. Like flip your hair, lick the plate, and tap dance atop the communal beer hall tables. Get to it, my little dim sums. Grab a reservation though.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/19/2011

    Hahaha, this place has a million reviews. Yes yes, the dinner is outstanding. I just want to add that the brunch is tits. Go here on the weekend and get your breakfast on, y'all! I haven't needed a reservation for these earlier visits like you need for dinner, and everything is beyond perfect for a little less than I actually would have expected.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/10/2009

    Whoo hoo, I get to be the 100th reviewer!  Awesome!

    A group of us came here recently to celebrate a work accomplishment.  I was immediately struck by the ambiance--bright and open and lively.  And, I loved the HUGE pig paintings!  I wasn't really a fan of the long tables, as it made it hard for all of us to interact.  But, it was all they had.
    Now, this is not a place for vegetarians.  There were a few people in our group who didn't eat pork, which meant their options were pretty limited.  But, for those of us who did, it was a veritable piggy heaven.  Different kinds of ham, pig ears in the salad, and ribs made my night.  They had some great oysters and the seabass was perfectly prepared.  The wine list was comprehensive and we had some great reds and whites.  And, goat's milk butter, which is just the coolest.  
    I will definitely check this place out again.

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/13/2008

    Went on Publican's 2nd night of business, when the kinks were in full form.

    They took the spirit of Avec and tried to force it in a room 4 times the size, which doesn't work too well. The never-ending shared wood tables make you feel like a guest at the Last Supper. Then there are the weird enclosed stalls that border the room, which have swing doors you'd find in a barn. Maybe they'd look cooler if the room wasn't so bizarrely well lit.

    The food was disappointing. The oysters were ok. They ran out of the Dungeness crab, which was upsetting.

    The steak tartar was ridiculously salty. I was actually in heaven for a couple seconds since I'm a huge salt addict. To the point where I make individual salt piles and dip all food directly in them to get maximum potency. But it was too much for even me. Hoping the clumsiness of a line cook is to blame. The seafood stew was relatively good, though it was served in a full size pot with a larger then life spatula. Not really cool, just comical.

    The communal sinks outside the bathroom are fantastic, if you're in the area and looking for an unorthodox pit stop.

    Considering the all star team involved, the restaurant will only flourish in time.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/18/2009

    Being a porkaholic, I love this restaurant more than words can say.  We went there for the first time tonight.  I called first and the hostess said that she only had one table available at the bar. So we decided to head there anyway and sure enough, we were seated at a two-person table (vs a communal table).  Yay!

    We ordered the pork rinds (so tasty), pork rillette (HEAVEN!), chef's selection of oysters (beautifully shucked with all oyster brine in tact), and the boudin noir/oxtail cassoulet (paradise!).  We loved everything about all of the above dishes. I would order them all again except that there are so many more things that I want to try the next time I'm there.

    Max was our waiter but he had another new server-in-training who was very sweet but not as knowledgable about the menu. That will come with time, I suppose.  Max was attentive, personable and reliable.  He recommended a great blonde ale that was slightly fruity and sweet and he hit the nail on its head... St Bernard Witbier was just as he described.

    Their collection of beers is quite impressive although descriptions of the type of beer would be very helpful for us newbies.

    Everything is very tasty and it all is centered around the best animal ever, the pig! My hat is tipped to both chefs - Chef Huston and Chef Kahan! Uber-outstanding and all-around tasty.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/1/2008

    I'm a big Avec fan and I generally hold Madia et. al's. places in high regard.  I think the reviews I've seen on this place have been a bit harsh.

    The Publican looks pretty cool.  The space is voluminous and open, with communal dining and a dine-at bar.  Dishes are made to share, and the wine list is affordable (I counted roundly four bottles for less than $30.

    I need to mention that complimentary sparkling water is offered with is a huge deal for me.  Still is available as well.

    **THE SERVICE** - A bit scripted, I will agree, but the menu is elaborate and there is alot to learn.  The place is new.  Both the servers and hosts were very friendly and the place seemed customer-centric, unlike Avec which often throws off the take-it-or-leave-it vibe.  The staff was happy to call a cab for me and answer all of my questions.  As a caveat I was there on Monday and I was maybe one of 25 in the restaurant.

    **THE FOOD** - Pork centric, which plays into the whole Fulton Street hog Mecca thing.  Impressive seafood selection - 9 dishes plus 6 types of oysters.

    I had the smoked fish and the quercia rossa aged ham, with a side of wood roasted sunchokes with chanterelle mushrooms.  The smoked fish (smoked eel, mackerel, and trout) dish was very rich and came with a piece of bread smothered in fromage blanc, which was secretly glutinous but delicious.  The ham portion was generous - too much for one person after the fish - and came with bread and goat butter (interesting).  The sunchokes added the one-two Avec slathered-in-butter punch, culminating in me needing a doggie bag.  I think the sunchokes were my favorite of all three.

    **THE BOOZE** - I had a martini made with Juniper gin.  It was $9, which is more than reasonable for good place.  As mentioned before they offer several affordable bottles of wine and a great beer list but to be honest don't rush here for the beer list.  It's more interesting than about 80% of the places out there but not the end-all-be-all in beer joints.  Avec has almost an equally interesting beer selection.

    **THE PRICE** - Certainly put a hurt on for a meal for one.  I could have easily shared all of my dishes and shared a $24 bottle of wine, so come here with a group.

    The only reason I didn't give the place 5 stars is the price, plus the place isn't breaking new ground in terms of food.  It's basically Avec v2.0 but a little more expensive.  But, when you have a good formula go with it.

    I will be back with a group.

  • 2.0 star rating
    8/16/2009

    Of the 5 days I recently spent in Chicago, we dedicated at least 60% of our waking time to food and eating.  At The Publican, we ate fantastic salad, silky cheeses, perfectly prepared squid (sourced as it turned out from my hometown), and sweetbreads, oh the sweetbreads.  The food was simply fantastic, five stars in the category of gastropubs.  

    Negative three stars however, for the deafening noise.  FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, put some acoustical tiles on the ceiling.  I understand, indeed I admire, the desire to encourage conviviality in an atmosphere like the Publican.  But I assure you no one enjoys shouting at table mates, at servers, at hostesses.  And shout you must, if you are to be heard.  Please please please spend a little cash (for goddsake the place was jammed at 9 pm on a monday) on some noise dampening measures, restaurants are as much about the experience as the food.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/19/2012
    1 check-in

    Incredible beer and food. Loved the atmosphere and service!

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/3/2012

    Delicious, good food-prepared with care. Friendly and knowledgeable waitstaff. Lively atmosphere. A surprising memorable dish was the carrots!

    Downsides: the meats are too salty. They don't need to be. And when the place is packed, it's TOO LOUD.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 4.0 star rating
    10/9/2009

    My sister-in-law and I stopped in here for a drink last night around 5:30, just to kill some time before our evening started.  There are stand-up bar tables, where you can hang your things on a hook under the table and order drinks and appetizers.  The tables are in the traffic pattern for the servers, but I didn't feel too much like I was being run over--but then again, it was early.

    Service was really excellent--friendly, charming and attentive--and the beer list is completely astonishing.  This is one list I feel absolutely justifies its pricing (which was high, for sure, but worthwhile).  So many unusual bottles, from both the US and overseas!  A full selection of lambics and Flemish reds!  I was in heaven.

    The room was already a bit noisy, even as early as it was, but it seemed pretty congenial.  This isn't hush-hush fine dining.  This is a place to roll up your sleeves and enjoy.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/27/2011

    Excellent beer and wine list combined with tasty food, heavy on the pork.  Can be a bit loud when it's busy.  The service has been good every time I've been there.

  • 2.0 star rating
    10/7/2009

    After all the fuss getting a reservation, my expectations were a bit too high.  We went for brunch, and that may have been a mistake.  $11 for two tiny red-wine poached eggs on sourdough toast with a smattering of prosciutto?  The ingredients were fresh enough, but I wasn't wowed enough to order it ever again--and I was still starving after I ate it.  

    I was particularly bummed that they were out of my first choice: Fried Chicken with Grits.  (One would think they might make more of an effort to stock enough ingredients for the one dish on their menu that isn't pork?)

    One saving grace may have been the Concord Grape Coffee Cake, which was moist and divine.

    I wish I had enjoyed the food more, as the atmosphere (minus the odd, out-of-place sweatbands sported by some of the waitstaff) is fantastic.  Specifically, the little individual dark wood bathroom stalls may be the cutest things I have ever seen.  And the hosts and waiters really have their game down--efficient and polite without being snooty or annoying.

    I may go back for dinner/drinks, but I can't say that my brunch experience allows me to recommend Publican (yet)...

    REVISED: decided to give Publican another try, and this time they had the Fried Chicken & Grits.  Unfortunately, it wasn't worth the wait...greasy, fatty chicken in a batter that was light & falling off the chicken, as well as way too heavy on the sage.  The grits were good, but seriously, who could mess up grits?  My friend had the gigantic pot of mussels, which were lovely...moral of the review: stick to the pork and seafood!

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/27/2009

    This place is a 1950s pharmacy--with scrubby jackets being worn by the waitstaff, huge bulb oddly bright yellow lighting, and slightly worn brassy/gold trim--mixed with medieval long wooden tables and high-back upright chairs. My friend loved it. I thought it was a little too wannabe-NYC. But, to each their own.

    Beer list, excellent, so in that, it is pub-like. I'm a veggie--so no food here I was particularly intrigued by, but I didn't try anything either, so I can't knock it. If you're veggie though, don't expect a full meal here... Just drink the beer.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/8/2010
    Listed in west loopy

    #1 reason i love this place - i grew up right next to wear their pigs come from!  small farmers feed the world, believe me.  and if you don't, you can ask my dad for details...

    loved everything about publican.  from how wine is served (a "glass" is really 3 servings YES PLEASE) to the adorable linens & plates to our very friendly server to the PORK to the incredible potatoes gratin.

    a fabulous meal, one i hope to enjoy again soon!!!

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/22/2011 Updated review

    The boyfriend and I took his sister and faince here for dinner and it's definately worth updating.  With 4 of us, we were able to try some more dishes and all were great.  And as always, the beer selection is huge!  Can't wait to go back!

    3.0 star rating
    1/18/2011 Previous review
    Boyfriend brought me here for my birthday. I loved the room set-up. Too bad we didn't get to sit in… Read more
  • 2.0 star rating
    11/10/2008

    Going in with high expectations, this was a real bummer. In theory, I like the communal table, specialty beer, and meaty menu, but there was a lot that was just not executed in the way that I would have expected.

    Firstly, echoing some of the sentiments already here, the beer list is not all that impressive compared to some of the other gastropubs and specialty shops already in the city, and it is definitely a bit overpriced. I'm all for paying the extra when the joint has gone above and beyond to attract some unique offerings, but this is just not the case. As some have said, the Hopleaf stands as a much better option on both selection and price.

    The communal seating is awkward. We had done it at Avec and Urban Belly recently and enjoyed both experiences much more. The tables here are both too big (too high and too long) and too cramped. We didn't have people seated next to us but the empty chairs still seemed to box us in. Perhaps adjacent diners would have made it seem less unnecessary. The place was conspicuously empty at 7p on our Friday night visit.

    The food was the best part, but it was overpriced for the size of the portions. The oysters were excellent - fresh, cold, delicious. Smoked trout was very nice, and the country ribs were the highlight of the meal. Yet, we had no desire to order dessert as we were quite happy to leave as soon as we could.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/27/2011

    Phenomenal. The meats are amazing... Our favorite was the country ribs (we ordered a second helping). Beer list is full of great stuff and the staff is very knowledgeable about the menu. Also recommend kyle's after pork digestif

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/21/2011

    food: YUM-O!  my friends and i had such a great time at the publican. the food was AMAZING, the ambiance was super fun and the wine was delish.  yes yes!  i highly recommend getting the mussels (omg yum), yellowtail crudo, summer squash, fried eggplant, ham chop (lots of goodness!), a selection of oysters and a plate of different hams.  amaze.

    service: super fun and very knowledgeable...yet not in your face, you know?

    final thoughts: i can't wait to go back to chicago and to take my husband here!

  • 2.0 star rating
    10/25/2011

    Went here several weeks back, but sat on this review as I had such a mixed experience.  I'd been wanting to go here for months and finally got around to it.  We went here on a Saturday night.  We started off with some interesting beers -- I had a Belgian ale and my girlfriend had a Koelsch beer.  Both were great.  We shared mussels to start with---so so (like most of the food the flavors seem a little bland).  The pork dish would have been great but it was delivered lukewarm.  We also ordered the duck hearts (which were delivered Luke warm with burnt toast).  The waiter clearly felt bad about this and they really  did try to make us feel better (free extra desert and mini-beer samples that were a good choice based on my girlfriend's earlier beer choice).

    If I was giving a review for "how to recover from a bad service experience" these guys would get an A.  But, sadly, the food was just too average for me to want to return.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/12/2009

    I would say a 7 out of 10...  all these reviews are pretty accurate.  My experience:

    Went there on Friday night around 9:00pm without a res, they said there would be a 1 hour wait for two people, but it was half that.  We waited at the tall tables with a few other people, had pork rinds and a few good beers from their extensive selection.  We also got the fries with fried egg - really good.  Followed that up with the beef tartare, also excellent.  We split the ham for our main course, and were somewhat disappointed.  It's pretty much a huge ass piece of fatty ham... not super exciting.  They definitely oversold it to us.  Also, I have to note, we covered everything in Sriracha, so my opinion of the food may be a bit biased... upon leaving we wondered what our opinion would have been had we not had that delicious hot sauce.

    But I digress.  Servers were extremely nice, but we seemed to get overlooked a few times and the waitress actually comped a round of beers.  Overall  a great looking place, with an interesting menu and a very solid beer selection.  Not cheap, but worth checking out.

    It came to my attention that I failed to mention the sardines I had here.  The sardines were also excellent - the best I've ever had - but that's not saying much.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/28/2012

    I go here for brunch on most Sundays. Everything on the menu is fantastic. It is community style seating but there are standing tables you can wait at while you enjoy some great coffee. Pork is their specially but I've enjoyed everything on the menu.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/11/2012

    Classic ambiance. Excellent service and delicious food

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/26/2010

    I love, love, love the Publican. From the second I walk in the host/hostesses are extremely friendly. Even when it's wall to wall people they greet you with the biggest, friendliest smile. The stand up bar tables are cozy, you are often rubbing elbows with another couple or group out, but that's all part of the "one big communal family" the Publican has. I'm a big fan of the sour beers (Belgian/Flemish Sour Ales, Lambics, etc) and there are always plenty to choose from along with every other style from light ales to heavy porters.

    The Publican is certainly known as a Palace to Porcine Pleasures and that is very true (entire volumes could be written on the subject of their pork rinds.) Just don't overlook the daily oysters or the crudo. Both have always been tops. The mussels and sardines have also been amazing!

    Living in the west loop the Publican is only a short walk from my apartment. After all this writing, I think I may have to stroll on over there tonight!

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/25/2012

    Awesome experience all around

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/3/2009

    Definitely the place to go to if you live by the mantra "that wherever Anthony Bourdain goes, I follow".

    This is the type of place that works very well with a group of hip foodies with semi-deep pockets, who don't mind shouting over the table to have a conversation, and who are not afraid to sit next to fellow diners (the majority of the seating is banquet style which means that your party of 4 is now a party of 50...not too many individual tables).

    Groups work well here because the food is served family style (not "buca di beppo" sized portions though), so sharing a number of dishes will allow you to get adventurous. I had duck heart for the first time and loved it...probably wouldn't have ordered it for myself.

    The deep pockets are needed because they only carry top shelf hooch and serve hip euro-peasent food at aristocratic prices.

    If you go, you have got to get the Basque (fish) stew. The seafood is fresh tasting and the broth is wicked good. When you are done with the sea creatures, dipping your bread in that liquid heaven is a meal in itself.

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/21/2013

    The Publican was fun.  Great selection of drinks.  Sat close to other people, so be prepared for that.  The food was good, but way too pricey for what it was.  The pork rinds were good and memorable.  Everything else was forgettable.  I'd come back with a small group of friends for drinks.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/17/2010

    With 382 (and counting) reviews averaging 4 stars, I probably didn't need to review The Publican. Oh, well.

    Make that 383 four star reviews.

    I went here on Valentine's Day, but I'd been here before. I went to The Publican for the first time about a year ago. I loved it so much, and I would have given it five stars at the time! The pork rinds were amazing, crackling in my mouth with just the right spice. But, the star of the show was definitely the pork belly. This was the best meat that I'd ever eaten in Chicago, hands down (belly up).

    This time, the pork rinds weren't as fresh, and The Publican was out of pork belly. Boo... Instead, we ordered the country ribs, potted rillettes, smoked chub, pickles and beets. Although many Yelpers have mentioned how delicious the country ribs were, I didn't find them that amazing. However, the potted rillettes, greasy duck and pork topped with fruit mustard, was delicious. It was my favorite dish, although I didn't think that it came close to the pork belly.

    Go to The Publican, but, if it's a busy night, make sure they have the pork belly. It is truly delectable.

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/14/2009

    I was on the fence with Eh...I've had better, and A-Ok, but decided that rounding up was the right thing to do (from what would have been 2.5 stars).

    First things first...know your audience when choosing this as your destination.  It is not conversation friendly (which includes trying to listen to your waiter provide descriptions of menu set up, and recommendations), and it is NOT for those that don't eat meat or fish.

    It does have a great beer list, and our server was more than helpful with suggestions, and even a taste of one of the draughts, in an effort to help us make a choice.  Also, we ordered a relatively inexpensive wine, which was good for the price.

    Food was where I found myself somewhat disappointed.

    Personally, I don't care for oysters (the only shell fish I don't eat), and they account for what seems like a quarter of the menu.  Otherwise, I love pork, and fish, so I should have been good to go.

    Unfortunately not.  

    Pork rinds...definitely an acquired taste, which I haven't apparently, nor did anyone at my table think were worth any hype.  Then recognizing pork shoulder is fatty, the one I received was beyond.  I ultimately had about 2/3rds left of mine when I was done trying to trim it decently (the other one at the table was a bit better).  Then the mixed plate of pork was a good dish, very well flavored, but again, we were left without a significant portion.  The sea bass was excellent, and had a great smoky taste.  The chicken was a great portion, and perfectly cooked.  A couple of salads rounded things out, and they were decent, but nothing special.

    Nobody was in the mood for desert, and I guess we were just hoping for more.  There will not be a return visit.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/15/2008

    After eating the frites w/ the 2 fried eggs on top, and the Charcuterie plate,  we were stuffed. There was tons more on the menu that I'll be back to try, but this seems to be a place best visited with 4 people, who (ideally) all are open to eating from tail-to-snout.

    This is the kind of place that I really look forward to having many return visits.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/7/2009

    Vegetarians, beware.

    Gorgeous, rustic decor welcomes you.  Every wall has a giant painting of a different very plump pig with very short legs.

    This is not a dainty "girl food" establishment.  I am lucky that I dined out with three gentlemen on this evening, and got to try plenty of things.  The ordering system is perfect: you just tell the server everything you want throughout the meal, and when they've heard from everyone at the table, they course it out for you.  Also, they'll tell you if you've ordered enough.  What we ordered:

    Chef's selection of oysters
    Chef's selection of three hams
    Striped bass
    Spicy pork rinds
    Charcuterie plate
    Sweetbread
    Potée
    Farm chicken (half chicken with summer sausage + frites)
    Beets
    Waffle with fresh strawberries and honey butter
    Plum Crisp with sour cream sorbet

    And beer.  Lots of beer.

    There was not a bad dish in the bunch; each arrival at the table was better than the last.  It's a dream.  Can't wait for Round 2!

  • 2.0 star rating
    8/4/2011

    I've been here twice. The first time it was ok and this time I just ate the worst mussels of my life. Take a pass and go somewhere else. Not worth the time or money.

  • 3.0 star rating
    12/13/2009

    Right now they're getting 1 star from me, but I have yet to have anything more than goat cheese and some warmed up bread. Had reservations at 9 p.m., hadn't been seated by 10 p.m. Barely got any service or answers about the wait at the bar. Got 1/4 of a brick of goat cheese and 2 teeny pieces of bread and had to ask for more. No one would want to put that much cheese on a cracker-sized piece of bread... also since you're making all FOUR of us wait for an hour, you'd think they'd bring 4 slices of cracker-sized bread...lord knows there was enough cheese for about 10 of those cracker-sized bread slices. We left at 10pm...hungry.

    They did call us the next day and offered to make it up to us.. but we're all so annoyed I'm not sure we'll make the effort to go back.

    POOR SERVICE.

    Update: 1/23/2010 - I've upgraded my rating from one star to three stars after giving them another shot. They mailed us a $100 gift certificate for our trouble last time (much appreciated) and so we tried again.

    We were seated within 10 minutes of our arrival with multiple updates on the status. I almost wondered if they remembered who we were because this time, the host service was impeccable. The host even brought us to the bar but suggested we hold off on ordering any drinks because he expected our table to be ready in just a minute.

    We got one of the groovy booths everyone talks about. We liked it, it felt intimate. It was a little strange that the waiter and others had to always open the doors to get things to us. I suggested they hire wait staff with longer arms so they could just reach over (kidding).

    I don't remember the fancy names they had for stuff... but here's what we got: The walleye, the yellowfin crudo, some off menu lamb casserole thingy, and a dish with turkey, pork and sausage, plus brussel sprouts and the little gem salad (complete with strips of pig ear).  I tried ordering two dishes prior to ordering the off-menu lamb item but after ordering were told they were out of them (one was quail the other was not memorable). I wished he would have told us what they were out of ahead of time... but again... whatever.

    The food was good. None of us were "wow"d by anything. The lamb dish was the most flavorful. Pork is definitely their forte.

    The server was pretty good (minus the foible about forgetting to tell us what they were out of) and he provided good wine suggestions. He also didn't pester us too much which was much appreciated.

    I don't consider myself a "foodie" so maybe that's what you need to be in order to be completely blown away by the Publican. I don't understand all these 5 star reviews here.

    Overall, a fine experience. We agreed we won't be going back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/6/2009

    I went to the Publican on a Saturday at 5:30pm.  We  sat at one of the "communal tables," which wasn't as bad as it sounds.  We sat 2 seas away from the other party, so it didn't feel "communal" at all.  The interior is clean with tall ceilings, wood furniture, and pictures of pigs.  The dress here is casual.  

    To start off,  we ordered the selection of oysters and a salad.  I can't remember the name of the salad, but I will say it was very delicious.  I do remember that there were fried pork ears, which are fatty and crispy and just out of this world.  The oyster selection was very fresh and I really enjoyed the accompanying champagne mignonette.  

    Next, we ordered the fish stew and the porchetta for our entrees.  These were phenomenal.  The fish stew, which was pretty much like a fruitti de mare at Italian restaurants, was hearty and everything in it tasted extremely fresh.  The porchetta is a pork-lover's dream.  I can't even describe it, but the flavors and all the different textures that you get out of this one piece of pork is out of this world.  

    To finish off, we shared the butterscotch pudding dessert and it was so delicious as well.  I'm not a big pudding fan, but I could have eaten another service of this by myself.

    I'm not the biggest fan of bread at restaurants, but the bread here was so good.  I can't put my finger on why, but I just couldn't stop eating it.  

    I thoroughly enjoyed the Publican.  It is a great place to go on a date, or with a big group.  Our server was pleasant and knoweldgeable.  I will definitely go back!  My one complaint is that they don't have a cocktail menu.  They do have a selection of beers and wines.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/1/2011

    I've been here twice... The first time was a few years ago... It was February and we just got into Chicago... It was late, and there was a wet snow falling... We were wandering aimlessly looking for a place to eat, when we came across The Publican. Inside it is elegant, but not stuffy. We were dressed "California casual" in designer jeans and shirts, where most of the other diners were "Midwest casual" in their slacks and dress shirts, some with ties, who wears a tie at 10pm? In another restaurant we might have felt under-dressed, but not here. The service was excellent, and the steaks were juicy and cooked to perfection... I enjoyed myself so much on that visit, that I made a point to go back on my next visit. I wasn't disappointed. Dressed "California casual" I had another terrific steak. I will definitely go back the next time I visit Chicago.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/13/2010

    Like this place a lot, even though I'm not a huge meat eater.
    Don't sit at the bar on a busy night unless you don't mind a couple splashes of beer here and there! (We moved to a communal table when one opened up).
    The staff was very nice, and our waiter was helpful; he made good suggestions and knew the menu very well (which is nice, since its a bit confusing if you haven't been).
    Everything we had was delicious, and I only wish I would have saved room for dessert since there a few very tempting options.
    The only weird thing was that there was no music playing, which I didn't notice since it is pretty loud in there, until a random song came on...then nothing again, until right before we left they played another song.  
    Would go back, and recommend to friends.  Fun restaurant, and good for groups.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/27/2009

    I L-O-V-E-D The Publican -- while this may not be an entirely unique sentiment, I want to note that prior to yesterday, I had no intention of ever going there.  I had heard it was 'pork heavy' and since I don't eat pork, I thought I would steer clear.

    A friend was in town and dying to try; since that trumps the pork card, we went for the Sunday dinner.  It was less crowded than I expected; a nice surprise though I don't think that I would've minded if it had been full of people...the space is great.  It seems like they thought of every detail - right down to the space saving ledge under the chairs (where else to put purses, umbrellas, etc when dining communal style).

    They started us with a squid salad -- one of the most delicious salads I've ever eaten.  I think that they could have just given me two more of those and I would have been happy for the night.  The vinaigrette was the perfect compliment to the squid, fingerling potatoes, and greens.  Our second course was a sardine pizza... definitely interesting; I felt adventurous trying since I associate sardines with the killer family in The Burbs.  The flavors all went really well together but after a 1 1/2 pizzas, I was sardined out.  Our last course was a bass fillet - hands down one of the tastiest pieces of fish I have eaten!

    My only regret is that we went on Sunday; I felt like I should be conservative and went with only two beers (so many fantastic choices!!).  If you decide to try, go hungry; I was still full in the morning.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/19/2011 Updated review

    Absolutely LOVE this place!  Vote for Brian Huston for Food & Wines first ever peoples choice award. Click here eatocracy.cnn.com/2011/0…

    5.0 star rating
    12/5/2008 Previous review
    Went back for the 4th time on Tuesday prior to the Bulls game.  I gave Publican 5 Stars last time… Read more
    5.0 star rating
    11/10/2008 Previous review
    My wife and I have already been to Publican 3 times in the month that it has been open.  Each time… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    4/10/2009

    Environment -  a single large room with (mostly) community seating that is a fun place for a party of three/four or more. The aesthetics were simple with warm lighting and a great staff. The entire restaurant was full filling the space with loud chatter - a turn off at first, but our ears adapted.

    Meals are designed to be shared - always a plus when a decision for a single dish is not easy.

    We arrived early and ordered appetizers/drinks at the bar. Publican's drink menu is robust rendering me unable to make a decision. Our waitress wa knowledgeable about the menu and was able to make a perfect recommendation. We ordered AMAZING spicy pork grinds for an appetizer. So good, try them.

    Our party included three adults, each ordering a single entree. My original choice was bone marrow, unfortunately it was sold out; luckily for me my second choice, a plate of duck hearts, was still available. White anchovies and pork ribs completed our meal. Once the food arrived we requested a plate of collard greens.

    Anchovies and the duck hearts were great, the pork was a bit fatty, and the collard greens made everybody happy. Portions were enough to fill all three us. We concluded the meal with coffee (Intelligentsia) and a chocolate dessert.  

    Publican is without  frivolous distractions in the space and on the menu. If you are looking for a fun restaurant with a good menu and reasonable prices this is an ideal restaurant. Enjoy.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/19/2010

    Wow. I went for dinner the other night. I'm new to Chicago and was finding it very hard to find delicious food. Five different people kept telling me Publican, Publican, Publican. They were right. It is one of those places were EVERYTHING is good. Everything.

    From the beer (such variety!) to the apps (some fennel and cheese salad) and sides (fries with eggs were addictive, cauliflower gratin was equally amazing). Also yummy and memorable is the catalan fish stew (and I avoid seafood generally so that's saying a lot), the country ribs were a favorite of the table and the farm chicken with sausage was divine.

    Fun atmosphere, really really good food. Can't ask for much more. And can't wait to go back!

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/11/2012

    There is nothing I can add that has not already been said.  This place is home to the best dining experience I have ever had.  I could live off the pork rinds.  If you have not had the pleasure of dining there...make a reservation asap.

  • 1.0 star rating
    10/15/2008

    What I wanted from the Publican was a cozy place with a good beer list and good comfort food.  What we got was an obnoxiously lit, poorly decorated, awkwardly arranged space with bad acoustics.  And hair in the food.  

    The food was disappointing. The menu is comprised of a lot of things that should be complimentary to the beer list.  We had oysters, pork rinds, and rilletes to start.  The pork rinds were acidic and overly salty.  The rillettes with figs were decent, save for the hair.  The fries were under fried.  Sweetbread schnitzel was bland and cold on arrival.  Burrata was sent back twice due to the accompanying strands of long, blond hair.  Gem salad had five measly pieces of non-crispy pig's ear.  Sardines were underseasoned and tasted as though they had been hanging out in the walk-in for awhile.  The potee with pork shank and vegetables was well cooked and tasty, though the vegetables needed some help.

    The beer list was decent.  There were plenty of Belgian, German, American, etc. brews to choose from.  The problem was that not only did it take over ten minutes to receive our orders, the food wasn't hearty enough to live up to the beer.  

    The service was spotty and unprofessional. Unfortunately, our party complicated matters by adding people after being seated, but we tried to be as low maintenance as possible.  In response, there was no communication between waitstaff and an attitude toward us.  We often had to flag them down to which they responded with an annoyed "What?" They lacked knowledge of the beer list and the menu, having no recognition of several items on the beer list.

    Perhaps The Publican will improve as time goes on, but we won't be there for the ride.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/23/2009

    This place is brilliant! Food, Beer selection, service is perfect.
    I really like decor as well.
    Oyster is so fresh and tasty. I love big, fatty Oyster more than like Kumamoto but it's OK for that.
    Also, Serrano ham......So good!
    I really impressed about each food cuz everything incredible!
    Always packed this place but you don't get a ridiculously line.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/30/2008
    Listed in Oooo . . . Tasty!

    Absolutely, totally, 100% tasty - everything.

    The food is incredibly delicious, the menus are impeccably edited, and the ambiance is perfection. Look sharp and take some good friends.

    Donnie Madia and friends strike again.

  • 2.0 star rating
    11/2/2012

    Disappointed in dinner here.  Sat at the community table, which was fine (we like being social and I don't mind company) but lacked attention from our server all night.  Food was just mediocre - didn't taste anything amazing considering the other restaurants in the West Loop.  The one dish I actually really liked was the shaved brussel sprouts.  We did the Serrano taste of ham and I was not impressed... definitely had better ham in Spain.  Not our favorite.

  • 2.0 star rating
    3/4/2009

    Publican is a unique experience that tries hard but doesn't deliver. I really had a hard time deciding on the star rating because part of my issue with Publican is personal preference vs. failing to deliver. Bottom line, I wasn't overly impressed and probably won't be back.

    Background:
    Dinner, 7:45 on a Tuesday night

    Food:
    The quality of the food is, for the most part, good. However, the menu selection leaves a bit to be desired. Basically, the menu is set up as "Tapas Plus:" larger than tapas, but not a meal in and of itself. Here is a rundown of what my friend and I shared:
        Chef's choice oysters - good selection, good flavor...but then again    oysters don't require cooking.
        Daily Pickle plate - bread and butter pickles with some pickled vegetables as well. I really like pickled foods...but really didn't like this these items, simply based on flavor.
        Trio of Hams - delicious thinly sliced hams. One of the best items we tried.
        Steak Tartare - A  steak tartare, what can I say. It was fine.
        Boudin Blanc - The best item we had - deliciously seasoned.

    Beer:
        Ohhhh the beer. They have a very substantial beer list. Luckily, they also have a very knowledgeable "beer expert" that can help you pair with what you are eating. The Saison with the oysters was a good call.

    Service:
    This is where the bottom fell out. Our server was HORRIBLE. He greeted us promptly, but then we said we need just a minute to look at the beer list he left us for 15 minutes before returning. When we asked him about popular items and to describe a few things he acted like it was a huge inconvenience. After the first round of beers our glasses sat empty for a good 10-15 minutes before he checked back. We actually started ordering from the food runners because they seemed to care more than our server and checked back. The server dropped off the check and then proceeded to go to the host stand and chit-chat for 10 minutes. This is was when I finally, got up, tracked down a manager and complained. It takes a LOT for me to get up and complain out a server. The manager listened intently and apologized for the inconvenience.

    Cost:
    It's billed as a high end restaurant, it's not cheap. I didn't think it delivered an experience or food aligned to the prices. 12 oz bottles of beer run from $5 up to $20.  The food was somewhat overpriced for the portion and quality.

    Other considerations:
    The one cool thing Publican has going for it is the concept behind the restaurant - communal beer house. Big communal tables can be fun if you're in the right mind set, as can the booths that have doors on them. Definitely not the spot for a quite date, but a unique experience none the less.

  • 2.0 star rating
    8/12/2011

    It's disgustingly loud.  And the food just falls a tiny bit short.  It's really 3 stars, but too many people think it's so hot so I'm compensating.

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/22/2010

    I really enjoyed the mussels!  It's a fair portion worth $18, and the broth is extremely memorable.  The mussels are served with a terrific crusty bread, perfect for soaking up the broth.  Flavor-wise: buttery, lightly musky, with the right amount of chewiness.  There were 3 unopened mussels in the batch.  I come from the old-school of thought, that says all unopened clams or mussels should be removed before serving - The Publican does not.  We will agree to disagree.

    After reading reviews here, I tried the Spicy Pork Rinds.  They were OK, though I'm not the best person to judge spicy food because I prefer extra-spicy heat.  The rinds have very little heat.

    Other things I enjoyed:  Frites (with an awesome mayo for dipping), brussel sprouts (sweet, not bitter), a simple salad (LOVED the dressing), and Bollito misto (cotechino sausage, smoked turkey & pork shoulder stew).  I shared all of these things with one other person, and we had too much food.  In retrospect, we wished we held off on the Bollito misto until next time.

    For dessert I enjoyed the blood orange pu' ehr (tea).  Loved the brown sugar cubes on the side.  I'm craving that tea today.  Mmmm...

    Many other servers were assisting our main server, so there is no lack of assistance.  Everyone was efficient and personable, though our main server seemed a bit off.  He mistakenly gave us something we did not order, and forgot to serve our friends something they definitely ordered.  It is unfortunate, but these things happen on busy Saturday evenings.  Be prepared for it if you go.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/21/2010

    Since Publican already has 400+ reviews I'll leave it at:

    5 Stars, wish I could eat here every day!

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 3.0 star rating
    9/24/2009

    Know before you go, acoustically-not so great. i.e. it's way loud. Lots of  "what's" and "huh's" across the table.

    Now than, the food. They suggest sharing the plates and for two of us recommended 2-3 plates apiece. The sizes seemed all over the place so kind of arbitrary how to decide.
    We started with the beet salad with ricotta & aged balsamic. If you like beets, you will like the salad. Nice portion and really tasty, earthy beets. Next the chef's selection of oysters which tasted fresh (a quality I find immensely important in my oysters) served with just a light champagne vinaigrette (neither added nor detracted so....)

    The smoked trout with heirloom tomatoes, guanciale (non-smoked bacon) & fromage blanc was tasty but served on bread, which isn't mentioned on the menu; I thought it took away from the dish slightly. But the fromage blanc was speared on said bread so to get that flavor well, you had to eat the bread.

    Ok, than there was the suckling pig with grapes, escarole & grits. I fully expected to not like but love this dish. It wasn't to be, turns out it was my least favorite. Mushy in texture and overall flavorless. I was crestfallen at the lack of, well anything. It just kind of existed on the plate.

    We actually had great service the night we were there. Overall I think the price points are a little off (including the wine list) and I just wasn't blown away like I thought I would be. And although it should seem relaxing with the type of service they are going for the noise just doesn't allow.

    So over priced and loud but good service and a couple tasty dishes.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/27/2009

    Do NOT bring your rabbi to this restaurant.  They specialize in the pig, and serve every part of it, even the non-kosher parts.

    I was part of a party of three on a Thursday night, early.  We started out with beers at one of the the stand-up tables in the bar.  The beer list is impressive.  Heavy on Belgians, but also French, German, Scandinavian, and American.   A bunch of interesting beers on draught.  Someone gave this some serious thought and it shows.

    Food was very good, although not something I'd want to have regularly.  We started out with the ham selection.  It was delicious.  Thin slices of domestic, Prosciutto, and Serrano, along with great bread and butter.  We also had the marrow bones.  These are served with parsley and onions and bread.  The bones were hot out of the oven and very marrowy.  This is a bit of an acquired taste, but it was delicious.  Then we had country ribs -- these were awesome, with a great smoky taste.   And finally we had the poteen, which is a combo of veal breast, sausage, and pork tenderloin.  The veal breast was the best part of that dish.  The pork was a bit dry (as pork tenderloin tends to be) and the sausage extremely salty.  For sides we had beets with aioli and french fries with fried eggs on top.  Thumbs way up on both.  And for dessert, an excellent peanut butter/chocolate cake.

    The room is nice looking with a great buzz.  The hosts are sweet.  There are lots of communal tables, which you should know if you are thinking of going.  

    This is a thinking-person's restaurant, great for foodies.  I would expect to find it in Portland, Oregon; the fact that it is here in Chicago is a great thing.  The food is unusual enough to keep your interest on repeated visits, but a bit heavy and organy.   Best to balance out all the meat with a bit of seafood, which we did not do but I wish we had.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/3/2012

    Oysters were great, the chicken pate was delish, one of the beers Belgian trapers beers was so good. Sausages and the roasted half chicken was moist n full of flavor. Lots of people for a Wednesday night but great atmosphere. Although I feel that you sit very close to your neighbor which is fine unless you sit next to a some very loud ones. Overall great food and beer.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/5/2009

    Ham - will N E V E R be the same to you after this experience. you'll be instantly transported to the "museo de jamon" in Barcelona once mouth meets cured pig. The food is decadent, similar to that of sister restaurant avec, with an emphasis on fish and pig. Flavors are perfectly culled but bend towards rich.

    our server was a tough nut to crack. we couldn't win him over with sass, charm or a flashy new pair of jimmy choo's. but the host compensated with his darling entourage star resemblance.

    the beer list is insane. i recommend going for the steak tar tare, ham plate, dover sole and beer. leave your diet at home.

  • 2.0 star rating
    10/25/2011

    If you like sitting on top of people and vice versa, this is the place. Good luck waiting 90 minutes for a table where you're bumping elbows with strangers.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/29/2011

    Good stuff.  The blood sausage was great and the oysters were so fresh and good.  Wine selection was nice and I liked the private booth that we sat in as well as the communal tables that I sat in once.  Very different and good.  Service was a little slow but overall the place was very good.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/18/2008

    Love their food!!!! Belgium Cuisine!!! Very Good ,very hearty!
    Beautiful designed space, down to the details. The Booth, the Bathrooms,plates, graphics, the wallpaper,......!  
    My favourite restaurant in Chicago!

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/26/2011

    that's right.. 5 stars.  Master cooks, master managers, master atmosphere.  There is nothing to say about this place except GO.  Pork, Fish, Beer, and Wine served.  NYC has nothing on Chicago and I truly believe Chicago has finally moved to #1 position in Food in America.. to compliment the #1 music scene.. The city is sooooo good at doing Urban America.. EAT HERE!   I am a food snob and proud of it.  Ok the oysters/ muscles  are better in California's better restaurants but I really believe very few people are good judges of good and great muscles and the minuet sauce is wonderful here !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • 2.0 star rating
    7/27/2011
    1 check-in

    meh.  i had gone to the blackbird two nights before, so had high expectations for the publican.  but honestly - it was just okay.

    had the summer salad, which was a very strange mix of quinoa, farro, raspberries and sugar snap peas.  i thought perhaps the flavors would work together...they don't.

    tried the exalted pork rinds.  they just taste like...pork rinds.  except covered in weird cheetos-type powder.  not good.

    had the chicken.  okay, this dish was actually very very well cooked - i know how difficult it is to cook chicken without overdoing the white meat, so i was impressed they were able to do it here.  however, laying it on top of the fries left them soggy and soaked with sauce, and i'm not sure how i feel about pairing it with giant pieces of sausage.  i like sausage, but it just seemed out of place on the plate.

    lots of beers on the menu, and the dining room has a college dining hall feel to it with the long communal tables.

    i doubt i would go back, but if i did, i would probably try the ham selection and the oysters, which our neighbors seemed to enjoy.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/9/2009

    My experience at the Publican exceeded my expectations!

    Beautiful, simple and relaxing decor -- a welcome departure from culinary venues that are painfully hip or pretentious.

    Excellent servers that knew the ingredients (including their source) inside and out, with great beer and wine pairings.

    Top notch ingredients and very generous portion sizes.  The unctuous, pure flavor in the Pork Belly was paired with expertly prepared Brussels Sprouts.  Someone else mentioned the mussels: fresh and steamed to perfection, they were simply sensational.

    The Publican convinced me that Chicago is the spiritual home of pork!

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/1/2009 Updated review

    My series of exceptional Publican dining experiences continues!

    We went last night to celebrate my birthday/Halloween.  We made reservations for fourteen, and the Publican seamlessly increased the reservation to fifteen when we got an extra the morning of the meal.

    Our waiter was very helpful in assisting us order for the entire group.  I mean, we pretty much ordered everything from the meat side of the menu.  The meal, as always was exceptional.

    But, really, the reason for the update is just to mention that The Publican gracefully and easily accommodated our large party.  The service did not suffer for the size of the party--it was as doting and friendly as usual.

    And, in spite of leaving stuffed to the gills and filled with enough drinks, the bill still came to right around $50 per person.

    Honestly, The Publican is making a really strong push for my favorite Chicago restaurant...

    5.0 star rating
    10/12/2009 Previous review
    We went to the Publican last night for their Brew Masters Series dinner--where the featured brewery… Read more
  • 1.0 star rating
    3/24/2012

    I hate to buck the 4 star trend here but there was really very little that I enjoyed about Publican. The good - beer list, hamachi crudo and the oysters. The bad, everything else. To be specific, Service was rushed. How quickly can I turn this table? After dropping the check off, I am sure I saw our server walk by 7x eyeing whether I dropped my card, the crew asked more than once if we were waiting for desert or to pay and then proceeded to try to take away what were two very obviously filled wine glasses and then no sooner did I pull my card from the wallet our server was there with the check off the table and the other hand out waiting for me to place it in his hand. As for the food, I listed the okay above, however, the meat dishes, in my opinion were all pre-cooked and reheated. The outsides were warm, however, on just about everything we ate the centers were incredibly cool (first sign) and what was not cool, was incredibly dry (second sign), the kind of dry that you only get when you re-heat something in the microwave or oven. There are so many other places to drop over $200 in Chicago and many alot better for half that #.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/31/2009

    My friends and I came here for a double birthday with a massive party.  The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the Thanksgiving styled tables where everyone sat and dined together.  Even though we had reservations, it was still a wait to get us set up.  Good thing was that  they have such a good beer and drinks menu that we didn't really notice.

    The wait staff was great and friendly.  We had a waiter who seemed to know his beer and recommended all sorts of stuff beers to us.  One of the beers I liked was Dragons Milk.

    Overall I think this place is really cute!  When I'm out in Chicago again, I'd like come back again to try the other items on the menu.

    Memorable foods:
    - Pork Rinds (YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM)
    - Porchetta - words cannot describe this...i don't think I could stop eating.
    - Snapper - we got the whole fish...head, tail the whole shabang! =)  The meat was so tender and juicy and very few bones to pick out.  It is a little pricy

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/27/2010

    OK, so that other review was totally right. Vinnie Chase does work the door. Serious double take. Anyway, good was great. Not cheap. And probably not great is you're a picky eater like my husband. I would definitely recommend the farm fresh chicken and the scallops. Unfortunately, the server didn't really explain that their process is very similar to tapas style eating. So really, we ended up ordering strange amounts of food because we were winging it.
    The beer selection is like something I have never seen before. Mostly imports and a ton of them at that. Unfortunately, the staff is not well educated and didn't help us make any selections.
    One more neg.....you are almost ON TOP of the people sitting next to you. Really hard to hold a conversation.
    The meal for three of us ended up taking about 2.5 hours. A little long if you ask me. Although, at least they weren't rushing us out.
    Food was good but the overall pretentiousness of the locale was a little overwhelming.

  • 3.0 star rating
    12/21/2011

    I think the first time I went I was swept away with the novelty of pork rinds. The second visit I tried the rillettes which didn't compare to Longman and Eagle's. The ham is great, the pickles were great. Our entrees were good.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/18/2011

    Great restaurant/service. The food is fantastic ;)

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/16/2013

    Ive always wanted to try this place for a very long time and I did a couple of weeks ago and it didnt disappoint.  This place is packed even on a weekday.  We requested for a non communal table and luckily we were able to get it. I am not fond of the communal table.  The service is nothing special at this place but they are very attentive with your water which I appreciate coz we dont order drinks we just have good ol chicago tap.  I like the fact that they dont rush you either unlike other restaurants where they want you to gobble your food and leave so they can accomodate more customers.  Now for the food.  For appetizers, skip the hamachi, its a rip off, they give you a few thumb size pieces for 18 bucks, id rather just go to a sushi restaurant and order that, what was I thinking!  I was hesitant to order the anchovies but my friend insisted, I really enjoyed the anchovies I had in Istria (Croatia) and I didnt think that it would be good but OMG, they bake it to a crisp and drizzle it with oil... It was heavenly.  I would go back to this place just for that.  I also had the pork belly, it was as good as a pork belly should.  All in all, a good solid place that I would recommend

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/26/2009

    I may have caught the swine flu, but it was worth it.

    perhaps the greatest waffle I have ever had ever ever. In fact they could have just keep bringing them and i wouldnt have stopped.

    I also had the wood fired egg dish and a couple of other very tastey things.

    I've gone and been able to sit in one of the pig pens. It had to be the most comfortable thing since being in my mothers womb. sorry thats actually sounds gross but I'm leaving it. I loved sitting there and getting scones, large pieces of bacon, and waffles placed right in front of me.

    The bloody mary comes with a choice of beer shooters. These are not Bud light lime shooters by the way.

    mmmm. I need to get back there.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/27/2010

    Best mussels in Chicago! You would be remiss if you didn't order them on your next visit. They're fresh, plump and the broth is divine, and the bread to soak it up is house made, chewy and delicious. You can't go wrong with these!

    Oh yeah, and The Publican, in general, is awesome. I'll just add "ditto" to all of the glowing reviews.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/21/2011

    From time to time I still dream of being corralled into a pig pen and eating crispy pork rinds, mussels, ribs, fried fish, and headcheese.  And they're all delicious and I love them, so it's not a nightmare.

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/12/2012

    Good, but didn't live up to the hype.  Atmosphere is cool-like a big noisy upscale barn.  4 people get placed into "stalls" along the walls.  Others eat at big communal tables (?troughts?).  But the food, while ok. didn't live up to the hype.

  • 2.0 star rating
    11/12/2008

    Uber-foodies, you've found your mecca.  But...

    I totally agree with David G. and James N.  This was very disappointing and schizophrenic, but the concept is solid.  They just need to figure out how to execute better.  I gave it 2 stars, in lieu of 1, because my friend is the sous chef and he hails from Avec and always took great care of us.  In any case...where to start:

    The seats:
    The cheap looking brass/gold rail and two-tone paint on the walls, reminds me of Tempo in the Gold Coast.  Totally dumpy.  I'm surprised there wasn't cheap, bad hotel art framed in matching brass.  Bleh.  The seating is ok, but the side corrals seemed a little weird.  Sort of like a penalty box or something.    

    The meats:
    We started with the ham sampler.  Good, but nothing I couldn't buy from Trader Joe's for 1/10 the cost.  The oysters were pretty good, but my friend had a milky one and a lot of shells in hers.  The ones I had were pretty tasty, but again they're pretty $$.  We also had an heirloom apple salad, which was the best part of the meal, but it also reminded me a lot of something you'd get at Avec.  The housemade pickles were ok, but nothing to rave about.  And then, the topper to our mediocre meal...the chicken.  It still had it's neck, was a grayish, brown color and looked like it was boiled.  It was served with a short rib, which was good and a meatball of some sort that looked a lot like a testicle in too many ways to make me comfortable.  Everything lacked flavor, even when you added the toppings they provided...salt, a cranberry paste and a mediterrenean salad thing.  In the words of my friend Jen "if I were in a nursing home, this is what they would serve us."

    The beers:
    Everything we had was fine, but $$$ for beer.  But, the server was very knowledgeable about the extensive list, so she gets props for that.  

    The other thing to note about this place is because it's trying to appeal to "uber-foodies" by serving sweetbreads, blood sausage, and pork cheeks, I think they forgot about the common eater.  I am not unadventureous and will probably give them a try on another visit .  But you also need to round out your menu with a few "every man's" meals.  We wanted to order safe for our first visit and it was so safe, it was completely bland.  

    I want this place to do well for the sake of my friend and the owners.  Everything they've done so far, has been great.  I think this has potential, but they need to iron out the menu and add a LOT more flavor.  Another chef friend told us that we should stick with the pork since the concept was built around our friendly piggy friend.  Oh!  And Stephanie Izzard was there...I'd be curious to know her thoughts, but since she's someone from the "industry" she probably got several things that weren't even on the menu.  Maybe she's a Yelper?

    So, in short...give it some time, save up some $$ and hopefully they'll have it figured out in a few months.  Cheers!

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/11/2011

    Came here with 2 of my friends for dinner/drinks and really enjoyed it. Ambience is kinda bar scene, new england, type but in a classy kind of way if that makes any sense! Pretty much everyone is sitting around a HUGE table. We had the chicken (lots of yummy seasoning), ahi tuna (very fresh and buttery), and some type of salad, but everything was really good. The place is kind of pricey though.  About $50pp including wine/tax/tip.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/12/2009

    Called the day before and asked if they could squeeze in two for a saturday night despite open table saying they were full.  Was able to get a reservation for 5:45, yay!

    The place quickly filled up, but we were at a table by the window and didn't think it was too loud at all.  If you are concerned about this, request a side table.

    We kind of went crazy, and basically ordered a tasting menu.  It was awesome.  We loved the family style platters- you're definitely going to want to sample everything that comes to your table, anyway!  Highlights for me was the pork belly, the sweetbreads, and the waffle desert.  Sooo good.  This to me is real cooking-.  It's not just dishes you've heard of served in a standard way; it's perfectly cooked meat with unique sides and flavors that come together to make a plate that's just amazing.

    Special note on the service, it doesn't get much better than this.  Our waitress got the food to our table at a wonderful pace, and was great at beers and wine pairing suggestions.  This place has a great beer list, it was a lot of fun.  A different gentleman was extremely prompt at keeping our water full and brushing off the table between courses.  Loved it.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/23/2010

    In the style of Salt 'n Peppa featuring En Vogue

    "Yes, my [Pub] says he loves me, never says he loves me not
    Tryin' to rush me good and touch me in the right spot
    See other [pubs] that I've had, they tried to play all that mac shit
    But every time they tried I said, 'That's not it'."

    Whatta Pub, whatta pub, whatta pub, whatta mighty good pub! (It's a mighty, mighty good pub.)

    Mmmmm DAG! You know what I love most about The Publican? No matter what you decide to order here, the bartenders/servers will act like it's the best idea in the world.

    "Could I get the pub dog and a 1/ 2 dozen chef-selection oysters?"

    "FUCK YEAH you can!! Come over here. Let's hug."

    Slight digression ahoy.

    My dad and I have something very much in common. We both get a ridiculously huge kick out of being recognized by restaurant staff. He frequents this Greek family breakfast place back home and he comes in so often that every time the owner personally comes over to shake his hand. I go to the Publican so often that the bartenders and the host are doing exactly the same thing. Yes,  I am fat and shameful.

    I'm now going to tell you about some points of interest about the Publican. By now you all know that this place is pretty much one big shine to the swine so I'm going to go with a little more off-the-beaten track type stuff.

    1. They have the best Limoncello you've ever had. It takes like the Ferrara Pan Lemonhead blew a load right into your mouth. Way creamier and less acidic than normal Limoncello. Yes, this will probably get flagged but I'm rebel, Dottie.

    2. When they have the Kusshi oysters on the menu - GET THEM. They are so tiny, adorable and fresh that you'll feel just like you're the Walrus in  Disney's Alice in Wonderland and you have no remorse eating these precious, anthropomorphic little bites. youtube.com/watch?v=Nql1…

    3. They have one of the best bathrooms in the city. Each toilet has it's own little room complete with tchotchke in a glass cabinet for your viewing pleasure. The sink is a giant communal fountain deal with plenty of C.O. Bigelow's Lime and Coriander soap and lotion. And they have Dyson Air Blade hand dryers which could alone add a star to a review of any establishment.

    4. You can buy a sixer of beer for the hard working people in the kitchen and they'll ring a bell to celebrate your generosity.

    5. Every time I go to the bathroom (which is frequently because I swill a lot of beer) I am running an experiment to see if the staff will pick my napkin up off the chair, un-rumple it and neatly fold it on the table. They have not once forgotten to do this.  I had no clue that was a point of service until I started coming here!

    6. You can get one of the best hot dogs you've ever had each day from 3:30pm - 5:30pm!

    So that's it. Now that I've finished writing this I think I'm going to make a lot of loud noise in the kitchen until my roommate wakes up and then make her go to the Publican with me so I can try brunch.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/3/2011

    Had brunch here when I landed in Chicago on a recent trip.  I sat at the bar with just me and my iPad, and had wonderful service and a great meal.  

    The bloody mary was tasty, and the 4 oz kicker of one of their great beers didnt hurt at all.  Try the kolsh, which goes really well with the spicy bloody.

    At the recommendation of the waiter, I had the soft-shell crab sandwich, with a great Remoulade and a couple slices of slightly sweet, crisp bacon, and some roasted fingerling potatoes.  Really good...but the roll probably overwhelmed the smallish crab a bit.  

    All in all, I'd like to get back...no real time while I'm here but will try again in the future.

  • 3.0 star rating
    12/12/2011

    Not a place to celebrate.  I took my friend and her fiancé to Publican for their famous Sunday brunch.  While the food was amazing the service was awful.  I was so disappointed as I had been very excited to try this place.

    We ordered drinks and the frites with fried eggs.  Our frites and fried eggs arrived before our libations.  The egg was cooked a little too much (we should have known that the eggs in our meals would come out similar).  My friend and I got our drinks but her fiancé's still didn't come.  Then the wrong drink came.  Finally while we were eating our meals his drink arrived.  Publican gave it to him on the house and later our waitress brought over some sparkling wine since we were out celebrating their engagement and she had felt bad.  While I appreciate the gesture it does not take away the disappointing service.  Not once did anyone ask as about out meal and if we liked it.

    I would recommend the duck confit hash and the maple-glazed pork shoulder.  The publican bacon was like nothing I had ever had.  

    Food great...services not so much.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/9/2011

    Very enjoyable restaurant.  The seafood is fresh and the pork is impeccable.  The staff is very attentive and pleasant.  The atmosphere is great with good music and a steady crowd.  I've gone with my girlfriend as well as with a group of guys from work. It fits any occasion and any time. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys seafood, pork, a great drinks list and a great evening.

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/22/2009
    Listed in My Neighborhood

    Went here to grab drinks after work with a couple friends.

    They have a great beer list and the servers seem well-versed and can tell you what the beer is comparable to and also suggest things based on other beers that you like.

    Cool round tables in the bar area to stand around and drink.

    What is not great is the cheesiness of one of the waiter's who thought it would be a good idea to hit on me while I was waiting for my 2 friends to arrive.  Probably the cheesiest pick-up line I've ever heard and a  deduction in stars for the place.

    I was wearing my wedding ring (as always) and I was enjoying my beer alone until my friends got there... definitely didn't need to be hit on while minding my own business.

  • 2.0 star rating
    9/1/2011

    What a shame,,, such well prepared food was overshadowed by mediocre service & an unbearable noise level.I recommend asking for a table outside, weather permitting. It won't necessarily improve the service, but at least you'll be able to hear your voice & that of your table guests without straining your hearing or your vocal cords... something we weren't able to experience.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/8/2011
    6 check-ins

    One of the best meals I've had in Chicago. Favorite items were the Porchetta and pork belly. The setup of the restaurant was really cool as well and the host looks like a greasy Vinny Chase.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/10/2008

    I'm just going straight for the food. Yes there is very cool and somewhat esoteric beer list and the space is unique (it has that beer hall, minimalistic feel) but the food stands out above the rest.

    It is what you would expect from the boys at Blackbird and avec. Creative yet sensible, high quality product presented in a way that the owners would eat everyday.

    The restaurant pays homage to the pig, evidenced by the fired pork rind appetizer (not ashamed to say they were delicious), and the many things pork. Ordering any of these dishes will do you right.

    But even the seafood will blow you away. The crudo is spot on and the mussels simmered in a citrusy beer that's available on the menu will blow you away - even if you don't like mussels.

    There is also the chicken - yes pedestrian in theory but I am willing to bet it is the BEST chicken you will ever eat. Juicy, flavorful and fabulous served with french fries cooked in lard. YUM!!!

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/18/2010

    Highly Recommended.  I can't say that the food is the kind of earth shattering stuff that I would do things I am not pround of to score some.  It is, however, very good.  The key point is that it is all just a little bit different; not something you see everyday.

    We had a white fish dip, pork schnitzel, and duck fat fries.

    The best part about this place is the atmosphere.  The service was great.  Our waiter was more than pleasent and had some great suggestions.  The lighting is low, but not dark enough to leave you fumbling.  The open kitchen allows you to see the masters at work.  The bar area with standing tables only is a bit unique as well.  I am a fan of the common seating so you can mingle with some new folks, but if you are more private you can grab a booth.

    Make reservations as this place always seems to be hoppin'.  

    The beer list is also pretty good if you are into craft beers and imports.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/25/2010

    Amazing food and a great beer selection. People call it a beer, oyster, and pork restuarant and all of those are amazing. It's a restaurant for people who love food. Not for people who just like food or are "picky" eaters. It's for people who have adventurous palates and pay close attention to what they're eating. If not, don't spend the money.

    Part of the menu is set and part is seasonal. I tend to go in a group of at least four people and get a combination of both. The oysters and pork belly are pretty much standard for me and I like to try some of the thigns that aren't always on the menu. The waitstaff knows their stuff and I'd rely on them to choose beer. And, I'd go with beer over wine with dinner there.

    It is a trendy restaurant and I find I have to try to ignore some of the otehr folks who are there. One can do that most effectively by asking to be seated in one of the stalls. I think they only seat four people. If not, ask to be seated by the window.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/3/2011

    This place rocks.

    Went here awhile back for dinner.  We basically sampled the entire menu.  We had the ham plate, oysters, pork rinds and some other dish I'm forgetting but it was ALL good.  Amazing.

    Went back for brunch and it did not disappoint.  I had the pumpkin bread and red-wine poached eggs and the husband had bacon and grilled hanger steak.

    We had to wait a bit for brunch but it was worth it!  Also, the environment is fun and laid-back.  We will be back!

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/5/2011

    pretty good. strange setup inside w/ just long tables running across the entire room so you're sitting next to other people. i couldn't help looking at their food and im pretty sure they thought i was crazy.

    anyway, i had the shrimp for brunch and it was so good! only4 stars though b/c there were only 3 shrimp and that just seems like way too little.

    also tried the apricot-pistachio (or maybe it's peach, can't remember) cake and the sticky bun. i prefer cinnabon and the cake thing is not worth it at all. should've gotten the bacon! (it's not even bacon, it looks more like pork belly)

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/21/2009

    This meets all the marks for a Chicago foodie - which can be a very tricky thing to achieve. And this is perhaps mostly because it is not pretentious, it's food at face value.

    -Sunday is an excellent time to visit, we arrived before they opened and they still allowed us to sit, we didn't end up leaving for a good four hours.
    -Sunday is a prefix menu not the standard weekday menu, which could be something to keep in mind...
    -Leaving all of my drink selections up to our server was the best thing I could have done, it introduced me to things I would not have naturally gone for.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/9/2011

    I licked my plate clean.

  • 2.0 star rating
    11/2/2008

    Let's see.. where shall I begin?

    The beer is overpriced.  You can get the same stuff at half a dozen other places in Chicago and pay less than $8 bucks for a small glass.

    The atmosphere isn't anything to write home about.  Cafeteria meets Elks Lodge in the middle of nowhere Iowa.  If you have a problem sitting on top of the people next to you, you will not like this place.  I think it would be a good place for groups.

    The food is pretty good, but a little greasy and too rich for my stomach.  Our waiter was not very educated about the menu, and didn't say anything when I inadvertently ordered a side dish as my main entree.  I realize that some chicks order salads as their entrees, but I ordered the squash formida (??) which was no more than a 1/2 cup of squash with some lettuce.  He really should have let me know that was not going going to fill me up.  Luckily, my girlfirend had the ribs and we ended up splitting our meals.

    I probably wouldn't go back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/18/2009

    I'm not sure where all these bad reviews came from, but my one and only Publican experience was excellent.  The pork rinds were an excellent, surprisingly light starter, a smoked trout dish was a unique second course, and the pork chops we had for a main were without a doubt the best I've ever had.  The beers were similarly strong; nothing particularly unique, but a good (if pricey) selection.

    The ambiance was a perfect match for the food; a single large, loud, well-lit room, with seating at long communal tables, tall tables for two, or booths for larger groups.

    The next time I'm in Chicago, I certainly hope to make a return visit!

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

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  • 3.0 star rating
    10/19/2010
    1 check-in

    interesting gastropub.  paul kahan's blackbird has an awesome prefixe lunch $22.  avec currently closed but opening again next week.
    anyways, came for some beer, oysters, cheese, also had the chicharrones, half roast chicken and sausage, and egg frites.  pomme frites with the chicken tasted the best.
    was not particularly impressed overall, so when you have a list to pick from including the girl and the goat, graham elliott, blackbird, etc, pick wisely.
    communal dining, communal bathroom, reason to come is for the beer selection and you can come earlier (even at 3:30 without reservations)

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/3/2009

    Loved The Publican more than Blackbird. Everything, from the food to the ambiance to the drink menu was absolutely fantastic, and a few items on the menu completely surprised me.

    Oysters were delicious, as were the pork rinds- they're not that spicy, they just have the right amount of kick. The mussels were amazing, and really huge-- they can easily feed a few people.

    Everything else blew me away. The fries with egg over easy were unbelievable-- the best fries I ever had! Then we tried the sweetbreads- I believe the word "foodgasm" is the right term.

    We ended the meal with a glass of maple sugar whiskey. Sipping this sweet, smooth whiskey was the perfect way to end a perfect birthday dinner.

  • 1.0 star rating
    11/20/2008

    I don't know who came up with the name, but there should be a truth in naming law for restaurants.  There is nothing pub-like about the place, and certainly no publican in place.  

    First, there is no bar.  NONE.

    Second, the place is sterile.  I like a good wood any day, but this place looks like it deforested half of Illinois.  Lights are too bright, noise level is over the top and really - $14 for a beer?  Come on.  If you are lucky, you'll get one of the handful of non-communal tables.  Or perhaps, the claustrophobia-inducing booths with doors that you have to open to get in.  What possible purpose do they serve?  Otherwise, its either the communal tables or the counter.  

    The food may be as good as many of the Yelpers say...we wouldn't know.  We were so turned off by the place we left after one drink.  And won't be back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/25/2012

    Incredible incredible incredible. Must try the country ribs MUST! Everything is so good from the service to the food to the coffee. Would give it 10 stars if I could!

  • 2.0 star rating
    3/27/2011

    I was not very impressed on my second visit to the Publican. This time around I felt that the level of service was mediocre

    . The food was excellent, it was a selection and the ingredients from local farmers are superb. We started off the meal with the spicy pork rinds. Not as great as I last remember them. But the time previous, they were warm and still popping as I bit into them. Hard to match that experience.We had the scallops with fava beans, which were delicious. The striped bass was good, not my favorite of the night but it wasn't terrible either. It had a mineral taste to it in which I was not a fan. The sweetbreads were hands down my favorite. They were prepared different from the last time ( I went in the summer as compared to early spring) but the combination of flavors this time with the pesto was amazing! They were unfortunately out of the shaved brussel sprouts but we opted for the beet salad instead and it was a wise choice. The beets were served in a yogurt dressing with basil and it was so refreshing and delicious. We ended the meal with the half of farm house chicken which was delicious but we were already full from the rest of our meal.

    But unfortunately, food cannot stand on its own when the service was lacking.The food took forever to get out. And when it did, it all came at once.  Also, the minute we had told our server that we were not having any beer/beverages solely water, our service went from a 5 to a 3 immediately.

    Hey, sorry dude that we weren't ordering rounds of beer but it's not like we ordered salads and pork rinds and tons of extra bread and then only give you a 10% tip.

    And in regards to the service, I have been to the just or even more busy restaurant called "Girl & Goat" who serves similar food and the service blew the Publican out of the water.

    Publican, you are like the nice guy that you date for a few months and suddenly becomes a douche.

    I think I'll take my business elsewhere next time.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/23/2009

    ONLY EXPECT TO LOVE IT IF YOU LIKE PORK AND BEER.

    This place is so good that it has converted me on lots of things I never expected to like, such as sweetbreads (wikipedia says its thymus glands and pancreas... in this case of cows).  Really, be adventurous there because you'll never find a better restaurant in which to do so.

    The dinner is great, the beer list is great, but I really think they shine at brunch.  And really it seems like an amazing deal, like $8 to $11 for meals, and I think extra sides like their special bacon are $4.  That bacon is amazing, its not even right to call it bacon.  Its like a half an inch thick and the maple syrup on it caramelizes when they cook it and the meat pretty much falls apart when you touch it.  It is so good its not even funny.  

    Their bloody marys are really good too and when you order them you get a little 4 or 5 ounce cup of beer of your choice among three.  I think this place is really fantastic for any occasion including just meeting for drinks and small snacks.  Some people don't like the communal tables thing, others do - just beware that that's the way it is there.  If you are a group of 3 or 4 you can probably request to be in the pigsties (these little closed pens with tables for four inside).  

    The decor is pretty cool; it looks like its all custom made wood, like the bathroom doors which are probably 10 feet tall.  Unique at least !

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/22/2011

    Well, everyone has praised this place to high heaven. Booze-wise, I think justifiably so. Excellent beer menu, to cater to all tastes! Food here as well deserves praise. I'm pork-averse but I almost ate up all the side order of bacon that we had for brunch. It was delicious, smoky, and had just the right amount of sweetness to it. Also had the frittata, which was massive and came with some really potato salad. My parents loved the pork rinds, which if you're familiar with Filipino food is basically really good chicaron, and seasoned at that. The portions here are huge by the way, so if you're not super hungry consider ordering a couple sides or splitting something with a friend.

    One thing though that I want to say is that I have never before eaten around so many people that I would like to punch between bites. It's very, very loud already, so you can't really ignore them, and apparently the wait staff doesn't mind if some patrons get out of control. One party in the "pens" was drunk and disruptive, and the staff did nothing. In addition to shouting, they were even harassing diners around them... nothing mean, just being really obnoxious and constantly interrupting others even when it looked like they wanted to be left alone. I guess the Publican wants to look like a chill place, but I felt the staff should've mentioned something and asked them to keep things in check. In terms of "types" populating the Publican, there are a lot of trustafarians (read: college girls with Balenciaga bags), grown-up frat boys reusing those popped-up collar polo shirts from 2004, twenty-somethings who take those American Apparel ads with minimal clothing a bit too literally, and the kind of obnoxious poser hipsters who give the actual hipsters a bad name. While I don't usually pay too much attention to other diners, factors like the close quarters with the communal tables, the tremendous volume, and having to navigate between people standing around the bar to get to your seat, all these mean that other diners are very much a part of your Publican experience. If you can deal, good on you, enjoy the deliciousness. But I would definitely pause eating at the Publican again if it looked super full.

    Some minor quibbles -- we had a reservation, but they still crammed us tightly next to some other people on the communal table. This was despite the numerous empty spaces further down the communal table, which remained empty for our entire meal. Also, considering it was brunch, there was a massive fail on the staff's part on keeping the coffee cups filled. Tsk, tsk.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/3/2010

    I think the only shocking thing about The Publican is that it doesn't have 5 full stars on Yelp.  This place is so good that after we went home and went to bed, my husband fell asleep, woke up again, rolled over and said, "that was the best meal ever" and then fell promptly asleep again.

    The suckling pig and chicken were off the charts.  We also loved the ham, lamb, and charcuterie plate.  We gobbled up the mussels immediately, as they were fantastic (Bordain says don't eat mussles anywhere that you don't know the chef, but trust me this is the exception and he would agree).  Obviously the beer is fantastic and the waiter helped me through the menu with kindness.  What a great night.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/12/2009

    The Publican has some fabulous food and their menu is based on family style sharing.  This concept, however, can be lost in translation.  An example:

    I came here with a group of 12.  Most of the group was from out of town and were not entirely sure what to do when the waitress said, "Our kitchen is not prepared to bring out 12 items at once."  After about 10 minutes of perusing the menu, my table companions were still contemplating to order items for themselves VS the table.  

    Seeing that this could go poorly very quickly, I made the executive decision to order four items to share.   The first round of food came out, it was enjoyed.   The rounds kept coming (and coming!) and everyone was loving the food.
     
    I would highly recommend the Publican with a large group.  The community seating makes the experience even more enjoyable.  Our service was very good although we did have to flag down our server twice.  

    My other complaint was that I was not thrilled with their vodka list or for the fact that they don't have Rose's Lime Juice, the second ingredient to make my beloved vodka gimlet.

    I remember when Osteria Via Stato had group seating and unique menu concept. I was extremely disappointed that they changed and became part of the status quo.  I hope that the same does not happen here.  The Publican is unique and I appreciate the experience in Chicago

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/16/2008
    1 check-in

    A decent site night out, in summary:

    * BIG beer selection. Plan to spend 10 minutes just picking one

    * Extroverted seating (aka OTOM, Avec, et al)

    * LOUD. We were back by the kitchen, probably the quietest of the joint actually.

    * SLOW. Granted they were new, and I needed the time just to peruse the beer offerings.

    * SKIMPY. Two bitty bits of blood sausage in the $12 Tripe & Blood Sausage gratin.

    * GOOD Seafood. Buchot Mussels and Marinated Mackerel were alright.

    * OUT. Ran out of the Pear dessert we wanted to try (before 8pm)

    Wife wasn't so impressed, probably will go back with one of the guys (or my dad). Saw the channel 7 food dude there, so a segment is sure to follow.

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/15/2011

    Really good but so many other places I want to try.  I'd def recommend this but can't put it into the elite 4-5 stars.  I like ruxbin and avec better.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/23/2011

    The food here is awesome if you are a foodie and like to try new and different things. The mussels were delicious as was the beer. It's a fun place, the menu is creative, and the scene is trendy. Definitely a great place to go with friends for a fun night out.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/23/2010
    Listed in Top Restaurants

    All oysters and pigs should aspire to one day end up on a plate at the Publican (and preferably in my tummy).  This place is legit!! I've been wanting to try this place for quite some time and I'm so happy I finally did.  Paul Kahan has amazed me once again.  I have zero negative comment about my experience here.

    Everyone from the hostess, to the busboys, to our waiter was just terrific.  Our server was super helpful and offered great suggestions, especially when trying to pick beers to pair with the food.  The beer list is extensive, overwhelming, and phenomenal.  The food is "tapas style" and communal, which is a plus because you get to have a little bit of everything.  We ordered about four plates (which for two people means a full out food coma).  The oysters were my favorite.  It tasted exactly like oysters should taste: simple, fresh, and ocean tasting.  It doesn't need the cocktail sauce nonsense like oysters at other restaurants need. The frites with the eggs on top were to die for.  It just further solidified my theory: a fried egg on top of anything will make anything and everything taste awesome. Everything else was well put together.  The food is simple and focuses on three things: pork, fish, and beer.  The flavors were simple, but very hearty, very savory.  Everything is organic, and you can definitely taste the difference.

    I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the restaurant as well.  It was a lot less pretentious and more laid back than I expected.  Most people are seating at a long communal table, which can be fun-but if you're looking for a more private, intimate setting, make reservations for one of their super awesome looking booths.  The place itself has a little bit of a masculine feel; it looks like a winter lodge in St. Moritz, except with giant pictures of pigs that adorn the wall.

    I cannot rave enough about the Publican.  I want to stop writing this review and go back...now.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/6/2011
    1 check-in

    Brunch was great: Bloody Mary with 16% stout - Good morning! Cashew sticky buns - should have ordered by myself. The fried egg on top of french fries - destroyed. The extra thick cut bacon -awesome but i wish the plate came with 3 slices, b/c they are small. Country ham snitzel - share with someone but very good.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/15/2009

    Yes, it's all been said. The Publican is everything I wanted it to be and more.
    Went here with three friends for a late, tasting-style dinner. We decided on the chef's selection of 12 oysters, chef's selection of three hams, pork rinds, sweetbread, and fries. It's amazing how simple these sound but how wonderful and complex they were. I'm not going to go on about it but if you like good beer and love pork, you must check this place out. Be sure to make a reservation and be ready for a loud open space that may be pretty crowded.
    Is there a place like this in NYC and I just haven't found it yet? If there is, someone please let me know.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/2/2011
    6 check-ins

    Best place for organ meats and beer. Plus, the big dining hall feel just makes it fun.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/3/2011

    I was in Chicago for the weekend and my wife and I met a friend for the Publican's brunch. Her husband was a sous chef working that day.
    My wife and I were pretty hungover and had a six hour drive in front of us. We stood around drinking coffee and juice waiting for our table; it was busy. We then got seated and the chef sent over sticky buns, blueberry donuts and almond cake. All were fantastic and decadent and went great with the strong coffee.
    I ordered a meal with sausage, beef tongue and a couple other meats and the waiter said "you have a 6 hour drive? You're about to go into a food coma." My wife and her friend ordered two other entrees, but her boyfriend sent out three dishes before our orders came out: fried oyster biscuit and chorizo gravy (oh my GOD), wine poached egg (delicious), and wild king salmon lox (the best salmon I've ever tasted in any preparation) and chicken fried steak (also, best CFS I've ever had; unique, citrus and buttery flavor). We ate SO much food and had lots to take home.
    Food, service, atmosphere was all great. The prices aren't as high as you'd expect for such good food; coffee and an entree might set you back $20, and the amount of thought and skill in the kitchen that goes into each dish is worth the price. I'd love to go back and try dinner next time I'm in Chicago.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/28/2009

    Great date place, though the booth-things reminded us of stables.  The decor is in between a beer hall and wanting to be a fancy-ish pub, but the food is delicious.  We split everything, and while the scallops crudo didn't need quite so many pomegranate seeds, everything else- the sweetbreads, beets, guinea hen and kale were on point.  
    Beer list is really long, so if you don't have an idea of what you'd like, then ask for help.  Great service, and not too pushy or in your face.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/5/2011
    1 check-in

    We had Sunday brunch here while visiting from Dallas. Trendy yet unpretentious gastropub with eclectic, Euro-centric comfort food. To start with, the bloody marys are among the best I've had. She had the red wine poached eggs and I the weisswurst. Both were excellent. The wurst came in a pot of still boiling water and was of the perfect consistency and seasoning. It was nicely paired with a doughy pretzel and deli mustard. Poached eggs were a refreshing approach to an old breakfast mainstay.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/14/2010
    1 check-in

    This place is very cool!  I went there for the first time for a beer pairing dinner with Stone Brewing.  I got to meet with one of the founders of Stone.  He was super cool, and I shared a bottle of very rare Why Winter from Two Bros Brewing with him.  The decore is warm and fun.  I especialy liked the booths, thay have doors on them!  The food we where served was top notch.  Because we had a set menu, I can only guess that their everyday menu must be outstanding, bassed on our pairings.  The chef knows his flavors.  The course that stood out the most was dessert.  Cheesecake served on a toffy crust with masserated blueberrys, paired with Stone Smoked Porter!  The other courses were also super.  The main course was in house made ham, served with spicy sweet potato mash savoy cabbage walnuts and mole sauce!  This dish was well thought out and exicuted.  
      The beer menu is also super.  I had a Monks Cafe flemish sour on tap, a rare find.  Also some of my favorets, including Whitcap Pater single and of course Hop Juice DIPA.  I was pleasently surprised to see thay had a few bottles of Why Winter.  That was our night cap.  
      This place is awsome if you like good beer.  I will have to go back to eat from the menu.  No T.V. in the place is a cool thing too.  The bathrooms are clean and cool, with tall doors and super speedy Dyson hand dryers!  Not a place for bargen dinning, but you get what you pay for.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/25/2011

    Amazing dining experience, but go open-minded about the seating situation. You're apt to be sharing your table with other diners. I am not a dessert person, but the powdered sugar waffle with rhubarb sauce paired with the limoncello after dinner drink was great. Also really enjoyed the asparagus, the spinach salad, the amazing grits (from Ashland, VA) and the three ham dish plate.. This is a place I will always recommend to friends who are passing through the windy city.

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/23/2010

    Good service, good food....but awkward seating and very loud!. I was disappointed in our seating in the middle of such a large table with others uncomfortably close. I'm a very petite female and felt I had no room!. The noise was such that I had a hard time conversing but I heard the conversation from the people next to us quite well! :(
    I would consider going back but would definitely request a more private table or bar seating.

  • 2.0 star rating
    11/8/2010

    Pork rinds- really? I found them very dry, and tasting mostly of vinegar.  Head cheese, rabbit, veal sweetbreads, head-on shrimp, head-on pompano, pigs ears on the menu. Haven't we evolved beyond having to deal with these parts of the creatures we're eating?
    Bread service 'on request'. Why? just give us the bread. Skip the pork rinds.  Tap beer selection excellent but why was the wiessbier an 8oz pour for $7 but no mention of its size on the menu?
    We ordered the half chicken, it came out cold. Fries came with - they were cold too but still very good. Also two hockey pucks that were supposed to be sausages- awful.  Luckily the waitress took them off of our bill.  Mussels- okay. I've had better at Hop or West Town Tavern.  Brussels sprouts- also came out cold   After these disappointments we could not bring ourselves to order anything else.
    I think they spent more time choosing furniture and the faux paint treatment on the walls. Need to spend more time on the execution of the food.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/22/2011

    Awesome meal and then some.  Great staff, a slight mix up on a Thursday night walk-in lead to a complimentary appetizer and desert port!  The oysters were fresh and delish!  The ambiance a little trendy but not snotty, and the food was outstanding.  Highly recommended for dinner!

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/14/2010

    The Publican was an energetic and exciting experience. I loved the decor, and the food was fantastic. Our server, Matt, did a great job helping us choose items on the menu and pair them with drinks. Don't miss out on the pork belly...so tasty!

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/27/2011

    I wasn't impressed with this place as much as I expected to. We came on a Sunday night (group of 4) and were seated in one of the booths by ourselves as opposed to the shared table, which was nice.
    I wasn't impressed by the overall atmosphere of the place.. those big round light bulbs, the style of the plates and flatware, the waiting staff outfit.. . I don't know, I didn't get it.
    Our waiter reminded us of some loony movie character, like the Hatter or something (except it wasn't looking like Johnny Depp). He kept saying that the dishes were good to share so we were expecting particularly big portions, but they weren't at all.
    The food was good but nothing mind-blowing.. I expected better given the reviews. The charcuterie plate was ok, the spicy pork rinds were disappointing, I don't get all the raves.. but it might just be my taste. The suckling pig unfortunately was not available, so we got veal loin, country ribs and potee - all good but not exceptional and as I said, relatively small to share among 4. The thing I enjoyed most were actually the fries (frites), which had a vibrant and spicy taste (and quantity was good!). Another good thing was the bread - we had 3 or 4 complimentary refills and it was always good, artisan style and of various types.
    Overall not too bad but not worth all the buzz either.

  • 1.0 star rating
    5/10/2010
    1 check-in

    Let me preface this review: for the food I ate, and the service I got, this place would get 5 stars but for the fatal errors I observed by the hot line seafood chef in their open kitchen over the course of my meal. The owners/managers should only be happy I ate nothing from her station, because it would not have been a pretty sight.

    Unlike Kevin A's review where he was served uncooked chicken, I would suppose that out of sight = out of mind for the average diner. Unfortunately, this was not out of sight. Within a 45 minute span while I was having dinner, I watched this chef

    1. Take her spoon, dip it into the saute pan, taste whatever was in it, then immediately proceed to use the spoon to serve the contents of the pan into a dish and send it out to a customer, thus contaminating the dish.

    2. Pick up a bowl and inspect it for cleanliness, and, finding it less than satisfactorily clean for her, proceed to blow on it, then use her side towel to wipe it out before proceeding to serve into it and send it out to a customer, thus contaminating the dish.

    3. A basic repeat of #1, except instead of stirring in the pan after tasting, she only tasted, then knocked the spoon against the pan a couple of times to return whatever hadn't been tasted into it, thus contaminating the dish.

    As if this weren't bad enough, during this time, I saw her either sniffling into the sleeve of her chef coat, coughing into it, or wiping something from her nose into it at least 4 times.

    THIS IS GROSS, and should not be tolerated, regardless of the chef's talent. In San Francisco she would not survive a full shift in any restaurant.

    Now that I've ranted, I have to say the food and service justify the great reviews otherwise. If this were a closed kitchen, they would've gotten my 5 star review and I would have been none the wiser. I only hope that no one who had hot seafood there tonight reads this review. Sorry to have ruined your meal in hindsight otherwise.  

    I had the pork belly, sweetbreads, beets and lamb saddle, and all were truly delightful. I wish I could've spent the entire review singing their praises, but alas, eater beware!

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/24/2011
    8 check-ins

    What's not to love about The Publican?  My family and I have been going here AT LEAST 4-5 times per year ever since they opened a few years ago.  The food here is absolutely incredible.  You honestly can't go wrong with anything you order here.  Sweetbreads and pork belly are the two things we ALWAYS order, regardless of the preparation.  The last several times I've been here, they didn't serve the crispy pork rinds in the way they originally did (the prep with the cheddar powder), which is kind of a downer, but it's ok.  The brunch here is fantastic as well and very affordable given the portion sizes and quality.  The prices for dinner have definitely gone up by a few dollars over the last year or so, so it's not as much of a good value as it used to be, but the food is still worth the prices.  Service wasn't 100% perfect a couple of times I've been here, but for the most part, service is great.  Kimberly, the manager, knows my family by face and name only because we've been there so many times.  She ALWAYS thanks us for coming again and again.  

    I cannot rave enough about the food at The Publican.  The food is creative while still having a strong element of homeyness.  We'll always be coming back for more.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/28/2011
    1 check-in

    I really liked The Publican!  That's if you can get a table...  We had to take a 5:00 seating in order to get in.  The waiters are REALLY knowledgeable.  I went on a Sunday, so I think I was able to take advantage of my server's knowledge much better (I think that on a Friday or Saturday they would be too busy to share a lot of their expertise).  I loved the pork rinds, and I don't normally eat pork rinds!  I am a huge fan of any restaurant using ingredients from local farms, and I like that the menu changes daily.  I had duck that was excellent and the sweet breads were delicious too.  I definitely recommend the Publican, just make sure to make a reservation WAY in advance!

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/24/2011
    1 check-in

    Beer selection is insane. Brussell sprouts amazing.

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/12/2010

    This is a very unique bar with something to offer.  but I couldn't kick the feeling that i was in a cafeteria.  i found the atmosphere a little cold.  But they've got great beer and an impressive menu.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/21/2010 Updated review

    Thanks so much to Esther for making my boyfriends graduation celebration amazing!

    4.0 star rating
    10/14/2009 Previous review
    I ate pig's ears!  Freshly deep fried and still warm, lusciously fatty and crunchy, wonderful pig… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    10/23/2011

    Finally ate at The Publican today after wanting to make it there for a year or so. Came with my mom and brother for Sunday brunch and we were able to get in easily with no reservation. I ordered the Grilled hanger steak and thought it was great, it was served on a bed of rice and garnished with some delicious pear slices.

    One problem was that the servers were very slow on drink refills. We only got one coffee refill and it was at the end of the meal when we were about to leave. Our cups sat empty for at least 15 minutes. Not a big deal, but we were thirsty!

    I'd definitely recommend The Publican to someone looking for a Sunday Brunch spot. The prices are reasonable and they do what they do quite well.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/21/2012
    1 check-in

    Interesting neighborhood going through transition with activewear markets and great places for foodies to eat like theirs hip Pub, a short walk from downtown

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/12/2008
    First to Review

    Great Beer.

    Lots of Pork.

    Nuff said!

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/10/2009

    Get the pork belly.

    The communal tables can be a big winner or big loser, great for eaves dropping on people.  We happen to sit by some people where so ridiculous it was almost more entertaining than a statement on how pathetic society is...  

    Our Service we ok, (almost alone worth giving 3 stars).  Our server must have been in the weeds, the manager was helping quite a bit and was good but some of what we asked for was lost in translation.  It took forever to get our check when it wasn't all  that busy - which is a frustrating way to end the night.

    As for the food, we go the trio of ham which was good, my wife loved them, I just don't get excited about saved meat anymore.  My wife had the mussels which she still hasn't stopped talking about 2 weeks later.... I thought they were good, but the broth lacked the bread dipped flavor I so love.  For dessert we had the waffle, nothing to write home about -- the ridiculous people next to us wouldn't stop raving about it and we ended up falling for it hook, line and sinker.

    Be aware, half the restaurant is communal seating the other half is four seater booths w/ saloon doors -- odd but could be fun..... (maybe next time)

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/8/2010
    1 check-in

    A friend and I were going to have a guy's night out. We, plus one more makes three, were going to dine on pork, oysters, pork, sweet breads, pork, pork and some more variation of pork.

    Apparently this place has a thing for pork.

    We lucked in to a reservation on Opentable.com for our reservation. May I suggest if you are going to eat, get a reservation. Don't quibble, don't give me a snarky quip at this suggestion. A seat at the bar is hard, sitting down for dinner can be harder. When I got in, the woman quoted the couple an hour to an hour and a half.

    Sucks to be them.

    Since one of our manly mates couldn't make it due to an emergency, a client of mine stepped in to take our place. She did a flawless job as we dove in to the fresh oysters on the half shell, three different kinds and all quite good. We did find the larger ones to be a little more packed full of flavor and yet all of them went down so well.  The pork rinds were good, but the flavoring on them made me feel like I was eating something too processed and not anything more natural. If anything perhaps a dip of chimichurri might have made for a more interesting treat. Still not bad. The sweet breads were delicious and wonderful. Not gamey at all, but tender and filled with subtle flavor. The pork belly was the winner of the night, though I might suggest two if you like it. Or if you are like me, make sure to get one order for yourself. (well.... I will next time) The ham platter was good, though I think next time I might get all three, just for the comparison factor. The bolito misto, with it's trio of pork shoulder, sausage and chicken all roasted together in a deliciousness of triocitiness with roasted veggies... oh wait. Yes. We did have veggies. Though the frites were just meh and not all too exciting, the pickled selection was good and the cauliflower gratin was phenom. But when you pair ham and gruyere, any veggie can be good.

    The beer selection is amazing, but really, let's not forget about the wine. A lot of selection and many at a very reasonable price.

    I will say the food and time that was had by all, was a fun and a really great night and will be the reason why I will return. Our server was swamped and in the weeds most of the night, so I can't say our service was great. The place is loud and bright, so if you want a date place or a place to have a quiet night, yeah... you might want to move to the sister The Violet Hour instead. But if you want to hunker down, slap some pork in your belly and have a boisterous, fun filled food time, grab some good adventurous friends and a reservation and you will have a great time.

    Oh and have the pork digestivo at the end... it will help end the night just right.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/15/2011

    I'm not terribly into pork but this place has a lot of personality: big pig paintings on the walls, communal tables or pig-pen style enclosed tables for small groups.  Seafood was delicious and I'm glad I finally got to try "head cheese" for the first time (not bad but I don't need to order it again).  Service was efficient and friendly and despite being there on a work trip (hence cost not the highest priority) we managed to get out of there at a reasonable $50/person.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/24/2011

    One of the best meals I've had since moving to Chicago. Great beer selection.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/4/2010 Updated review

    I'm back to four stars.  I've probably been to The Publican 8-10 times since they've been open and the food is always stellar and the service is pretty darn good -- attentive, helpful and efficient.

    We arrived on Friday night for a 7 p.m. reservation and waited for about five minutes before being escorted to what was not only the worst table at The Publican, but perhaps the worst table in restaurant history.  It was a two top in the far NE corner next to a service door to the patio, wedged behind the service station and with a view of nothing.  There was no way I was going to spend my evening staring at the asses of various servers as they punched orders into the system and printed off checks.  Before the hostess even managed to say, "Here's your table", I barked out, "Ooooh noooo, this is not going to work."  Really, I think I did bark, I was a little aggressive.  I mean, save that table for someone who's walking in and happy to have a table at all, but not for a reservation made weeks in advance.  I apologized for being a little loud (but, not really too loud, I just wanted to express my dissatisfaction).  After about 10 minutes at the bar, we were shown to our lovely new seats at a community table between a couple who were clearly having an affair and a party of 8 celebrating a 30th birthday.  I really do love communal tables.

    The food was great!  Mussels are still spectacular.  The bread service is the best I've had in town and the beer is flowing.  The Publican is one of my happy places.

    5.0 star rating
    1/22/2010 Previous review
    I have decided that the mussels at Publican are the best I've ever eaten!  I can't get over them.  … Read more
    4.0 star rating
    6/4/2009 Previous review
    Oink.  Here piggy, piggy!  The Publican in all of its porky goodness was a really good dining… Read more
The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 2.0 star rating
    3/8/2011
    1 check-in

    Really?  Came to Publican after hearing all the hype for brunch on a busy Saturday afternoon, the 5 of us were seated at a semi-awkward corner end of the communal tables, towards the entrance.  We all shared and ordered several items off the menu (the omelet, whitefish salad, coffee cake, shrimp and grits...) and nothing worth remembering.  Coffee is bottomless and the staff is attentive to refill, which was a nice plus.  More of a beer hall cafeteria style place, I think more appropriate for happy hour and/or late night eats.  I just don't get it!

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/13/2011

    I would go here ALL THE TIME if it weren't pricey.  The beer list is amazing and all the servers know their stuff.  I went about a year ago for an anniversary dinner with my husband.  We did oysters and drinks first and then the full meal for dinner.  Everything was awesome but we probably could have eaten more...portion sizes weren't huge.  By 8pm it was also SUPER loud.  I would recommend this place to anyone for happy hour but maybe not for an anniversary dinner.  Excited to go back for oysters, pork rinds and beer!

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/6/2011
    Listed in Chicago

    Classic steel-town grease.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/17/2011

    The food was great. We ordered the morcialla, Blood Sausage; Steak tartar; Oysters and Sweetbreads. The selection of beer was outstanding, and paired with all of the food in a great way. We were very happy with the selections and pleasantly surprised with the great ambiance that was presented at the 10pm reservation. This is a great gem in the city.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/6/2011
    1 check-in

    This place was fantastic! Great food and drink options. The service is great the private booths are awesome.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/31/2009

    The Publican is great. Its name is fun to say. Pub pub publicannnnn.

    So yes, I got the selection of three different kinds of pork which was delicious.  Well 2 out of the 3 were good that is good enough for me.  Plus there were cute little pickles all over my plate. Pickles are great, but tiny ones are apparently even better.
    My boyfriend ordered the chicken which was DELICIOUS.  He even thought it was better than Lula's chicken--strong words indeed.  The fries that came with the chicken were fantastic too.
    The butterscotch pudding dessert with raspberries was fantastic as well.
    I was reading some of the other reviews and people seem to be all over the place.  The food was  a little hit or miss but the service, beer list (I don't even like to drink that much, but found a beer that I really enjoyed), and general ambiance make this a great place.  

    Also, it should be noted that i generally DO NOT like sitting in a close proximity to people I don't know...however they pulled it off quite nicely.  I enjoyed ogling people's food and the loudness of the restaurant just made it seem lively.

    lastly Christine is the PERFECT server.  She is the blond with the two full tattoo sleeves.  Wonderfully knowledgeable and helpful without  being annoying or dull; attentive without being overbearing.  Really I was shocked because I feel like most servers drop the ball somewhere--but not her.

    all in all a lovely experience!

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/16/2010

    The best brunch I've ever had.  The zucchini bread with ricotta, honey and fresh peaches set the tone for an amazing spread of food.  This is one of those places where every bit of food is perfectly prepared and plated for the diner's enjoyment.  I will be going back (soon) to try out their dinner menu.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/23/2010

    insane beer selection...on tap, and in larger corked bottles.

    great raw oyster list...hog island were exceptional.

    bartenders knew their brews and served well.

    sat at bar...nicer bar to eat at compared to many.

    slut club next door, hard to get into unless you already have sluts.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/6/2010 Updated review

    I keep on going here, and the Publican keeps on delivering.  Not sure why I gave it only 4 stars before, because it really deserves 5.  Sunday brunch is especially enjoyable and easier to get in .  Great dishes like scrapple, red wine poached egg, weiswurst, waffles - and amazing sides like the super special Publican bacon, truffle oil hash browns, and pork rinds.

    4.0 star rating
    5/11/2009 Previous review
    Who could go wrong with seafood, pork, and craft beers?  The food is amazing.  I love the pork… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    5/26/2009

    I really like this place. It's a fun place to go, especially if you have a large group. I wouldn't recommend it if you're on a date (too loud). I've been here several times already and have no complaints about the food. I gave this restaurant 4 stars only because the service can be a bit iffy at times when the restaurant is packed.

    The food is very good. I especially like the mussels, pork rinds, charcuterie plate, and the potee. My only wish is that they expand their dessert menu. They have an excellent beer menu! A bit pricey but worth it for a night out.

    I would especially like to thank the hostess (manager?) with the long dark hair. Very kind and accommodating!

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/2/2011 Updated review

    This meal was decadent--mussels, 1/2 chicken (best spices in town), brussel sprout salad and cauliflower. Made me happy, sleepy and satisfied!!

    4.0 star rating
    10/19/2010 Previous review
    You want pig? You got it!! While on our restaurant bar crawl, Publican was first on tap for our… Read more
  • 3.0 star rating
    12/21/2008
    1 check-in

    We had a group of 13 people and our waitress while nice had too many other tables to service us timely. It was no less than 1/2 hour for me to get my first beer. She took some drink orders than went to other tables. The same thing happened for the food orders. We had to flag her down and ask if she could take the rest of our food order. I don't think she realized that she had missed some of our orders.
    The food was unique, full of flavor but a little pricey. The beer list has a handful of great beers at a reasonable $5. pint. But pay attention to the lengthy list or you could end up ordering a $33. bottle.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/23/2010

    a definite chicago stop.  

    freshest oysters outside of san fran.  recommend brouweij't broukot - netebuk and many more belgium microbrews on tap.  

    same health conscience diners spotted at equinox .

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/18/2011

    I went in a bit cautious but was won over. When a restaurant receives a lot of hype such as this I think it's either really as good as people say or the majority of diners are simply saying the food is good bc they're engaging in groupthink. Well, after having dinner at the Publican, I can confirm that it's the former. I wouldnt say everything we had was a hit, but I will say I love the fresh food and the variety of dishes served. So here's a rundown of what we had:

    Halibut crudo: This was very good and I would definitely recommend ordering it. I thought it was very fresh and light. A great dish to start off with.

    Potted rillettes: Loved this. Prob my fav dish of the night. Have ya'll noticed how restaurants never seem to give enough bread with spreads? Luckily, we had asked for bread at the beginning of dinner, so when we ran out of the toasted bread that came with the dish we simply spread the rillettes over the complimentary bread we received earlier. Honestly, I really dont know how the cherries enhanced or complimented the rillettes. Even without the cherries, this dish wouldve been yummy.

    Country ribs: This was another hit. I could really taste the citrus flavor in the meat. And there were two large chunks of meat, so portion size was great. The slices of oranges scattered throughout the dish didnt really do anything to enhance the flavor of the meat but I guess it was just there for presentation's sake.

    Livornese fish stew: Served with what I believe to be garlic bread. I generally love fish stew, but I'd say skip this one. I've had better at Calo. It wasnt bad (although a tad salty), but as I've said Ive had better elsewhere so I'd save my money for something else on the menu. I certainly dont believe it was worth $29.

    We had another dish from the vegetable section of the menu, but I dont recall what it was called. It consisted of eggplant and ground lamb. In regards to this dish, I'd say if you see something similar on the menu, skip it. It tasted like sloppy joe. I've had better manwiches.

    We also had dessert. A blueberry shortcake with lemon curd and this banana ice cream dessert, the exact term for which I cant remember. Anywho, my fellow dinner mate enjoyed his banana ice cream but I didnt really like my shortcake. Specifically, I didnt like the basil ice cream that was in the dessert. Minus the basil ice cream, I wouldve like this dessert more.

    In terms of service, our waitress was really helpful, answering any questions we had about items on the menu. I dont really have much to say about the wait staff. I thought they did their job well.

    Ambiance: We had an early dinner, arriving at the restaurant a little before 530 on a Sunday. Early on it was pretty nice and quiet, but it slowly got louder and louder as more and more diners sat down for dinner. I had expected this so no complaints. I just know to show up early to avoid the noisier atmosphere.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/5/2012

    The food was delightful and the service was fantastic. Everything came out quickly and was incredible. Unfortunately our table was in a sad little corner so we didn't get the full family style seating experience but all in all I loved it and will definitely go again.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/24/2011

    Fantastic looking.  I am not much of a meat person...(went with a group of friends) but the communal table aspect was really cool.  It's fun to get to chat with your neighbors and meet strangers.  Kind of like the old school lunch counters, but chic.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/20/2010

    Our aunt and uncle from Portland, OR wanted a delicious dinner last night, so we brought them to The Publican. Everything we ate and drank was great. Here's what I remember:
    We drank a variety of whites, wits and saisons throughout the meal, along with a few Tito's cocktails here and there. Oysters, octopus, soft shell crabs...(you'd think we were at a dedicated seafood restaurant at this point!)...corn (ridiculous glob of aoli on top), whole chicken with a couple of eggs on the frites...and finally some pig in the form of a ham chop that was braised in hay which resulted in an incredible earthy flavor. Finished the meal with coffee and 2 desserts, the waffle with honey butter and raspberry  jam being the best.
    It was sad that we didn't get the charcuterie or the lamb loin or the mussels, and the pork belly wasn't on the menu, but the bottom line is that there's way too much great stuff on the menu for you to eat everything every time you're there. So make sure to try a few new things each time you go and I'm certain they'll wow your taste buds from start to finish. It's funny how I think about this place as a festival de pig yet we end up loving the fish, seafood, and chicken just as much as the pork whenever we eat here. Great for groups!

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/12/2010
    Listed in Top Restaurants

    Went to The Publican last night for dinner with my fiance and 5 of our friends.  It. Was. Awesome.  I haven't decided yet if having 7 people was too many, or if i appreciated it for my first trip to The Publican because we were able to try (literally, we were each able to have about 1 bite of each of the plates) a total of 11 dishes and 3 desserts.  We had:
    1) Bone Marrow - we got one of the last 2 they had, and THANK GOD!  I never thought eating bone marrow would appeal to me, but I will absolutely eat it again, and again, and again.
    2) Chef's selection of 12 oysters - 6 from the east coast, 6 from the west coast - all delicious.  The sauce that came with the oysters was fantastic as well.
    3) Pork Rinds - first time in my life I've eaten pork rinds (they kind of scare me when they are in the bag at the convenience store, eww), but The Publican does these right!  We ordered a 2nd order of them because they went so fast at our table!
    4) Frites - would have loved to try the sunny side up egg with the frites, but we stuck to the plain ones.  I could take or leave these - I feel like there's a lot of other amazing things on the menu that I'd rather have.
    5) Brussel Sprouts - delicious, wasn't expecting them to be so good.
    6) Sardines w/ Morels & Hazelnuts - I love Morels. Period. Having them with a nice salty fish - even better.
    7) Ham Tasting - Nice, fresh, high quality meat.
    8) Charcuterie Plate - My favorite part was the sausage.  It had GREAT flavor.  Everything was awesome though, including the sauces, and especially the head cheese.
    9) Blue fin Tuna - Sashimi style.  The best, freshest tuna I've ever had in my life... and I've had a lot of tuna.
    10) Sweetbreads - need I say more?
    11) Duck Heart - Save the best for last.  I had the same feeling with this as I did with the bone marrow.  All i could think was "Am i really gonna eat bone marrow and duck heart??!!" But when this got to the table, I dug right in, and boy was I glad!  It was the most tender piece of meat we had all night.  So much flavor, so tender, so delicious.

    Desserts:
    1) Lavender & Anise Creme Brulee - I love me some creme brulee, and i love me some lavender.. put them together and it's just amazing.
    2) Chocolate Souffle Cake - very moist and delicious
    3) Waffle with blueberries - i was too focused on the creme brulee to really know much about the waffles.  I had one bite, it was good but obviously not as memorable as others.

    We also had great beer, great wine, and great french pressed coffee.

    I can't wait to go back - I just talked to my mom and told her about the whole meal and I will definitely be taking her and my dad back - hopefully just the 4 of us so we can have more than a bite of each plate!  Overall, this was one of the best meals I've had in Chicago.  2 thumbs WAY up!

    Oh, and also, the service was wonderful - very knowledgeable staff, they know everything about there food, as they should.  I appreciate the crap out of a server that knows their shit.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/27/2011
    1 check-in

    Delicious, but overshadowed by the Purple Pig for me. I left having enjoyed all the dishes I ate but nothing wowed me.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/23/2011 Updated review

    So glad to go back and enjoy more good food and good service.  Wish I had a larger stomach to hold more food because I wanted to order half the menu.  Will be going back again hopefully soon.

    5.0 star rating
    4/13/2010 Previous review
    Went for my birthday and tried a little of pretty much everything and everything was great.  The… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    12/21/2009

    To see my 5 month old nephew, I made a short trip to the Chicago area in December (perhaps this was a bit foolish, California weather has made me soft) -  I saw him a week or so after he was born in July, but kids grow up fast and I am determined to see him as much as I can  at least in the first couple of years.  Since I was going to be in town, I made plans to have dinner with some of my oldest friends who are still in town, and the tentative plan was to go to the Publican on a Sunday. However, eventually the set dinner made some people back out, and I was left struggling without the ability to complete my Paul Kahan 'hat trick', (I had gone to Avec and Blackbird over the course of the past 18 months during trips back here).

    Again, perhaps foolishly, (and due to the relatively short trip), I had planned to make Thursday a day to visit the Field Museum and walk around downtown. My girlfriend made the trip with me, and she had been to Chicago only once before - this summer, for the two hottest days of the year! And here we were walking around on the coldest day yet this winter (although I suppose there were colder days last January of February). While at the museum, I realized that we might as well go to The Publican ourselves, so I used the opentable app on my information phone to make a reservation for an early dinner. Well, it turns out that that step was a bit superfluous, as at the beginning of dinner service - 5:30pm - the restaurant was rather desolate. So, if you can go early, do so!

    The restaurant itself is a whimsical interpretation of a Public house. Visually I really dug the wooden pillars which passed through oversized cutouts in the ceiling and the high ladderback chairs.  The chairs might look great, but they are not the most comfortable of chairs. The 4 top enclosed booths were also very engaging and interesting, and ditto for the large pig paintings.

    Back to the fact of our getting there around 5:30PM. We actually got there at 5:15, because it was cold out - I mentioned that, right? Once the sun went down, our desire to spend more than a scant few seconds outside waned, and so we hailed a cab and headed to the restaurant.  Of course we were quickly seated, but the dinner menu wasn't yet printed. We were given the afternoon bar menu to consider (and it turns out we did order something off it, but that's a story for later in the review), but we only ended up ordering drinks before the dinner menu was provided.

    As to drinks, they have a fantastically comprehensive beer menu; a wine list that I'm sure is equally as comprehensive, but I didn't consider it; and a full bar. Except the bar is not populated with the brands of spirits one would expect. Instead of a Ketel One Gimlet, one can get a gimlet made with Death's Door Vodka, from Door County, WI (there was also a small Texas brand to choose from). This is actually a good deal, because the Death's Door vodka is good stuff!

    After perusing the dinner menu, we were a bit overwhelmed, so we asked the server for suggestions. She told us that the Ham Selection was a very popular item - a serving of all three aged hams on their menu, two from Europe, and one from Virginia in this case. I saw this on the afternoon menu and it intrigued me, but her recommendation firmly sold us on it. She also recommended a number of other dishes (including Dungeness crab, but considering I live in San Francisco, it didn't sound as exotic to me as I think it did to her). We chose two of the suggested dishes as our mains, a scallop and mushroom dish and the potee, which is one of their signature meat dishes - three types of pork, cabbage, and gerkins served with a mustard sauce. Our server asked if we intended to share the items, to which we responded "of course!", and she suggested we take them in courses, a fish course and a main course. That was a fantastic idea. We rounded out our food selection with the daily pickly, which consisted of some bread and butter pickles that I actually liked, pickled cauliflower and the breakout hit of 2009, pickled celery root.

    The meal itself was quite satisfying and delicious, but of course there was room for dessert. The dessert menu included their in house concoction, the After Pork Digestif - a cocktail of some herbal liqueurs and simple syrup which sounded intriguing but I sadly had to pass on. We ended up splitting the chocolate souffle cake, which was served with a lightly herbal ice cream, and a glass of port (I had to drive us back to my parents house in the suburbs, so I had to reign in the drinking).

    Overall, it was a really good experience. Nice setting, save for perhaps the chairs, impeccable service, and tasty, high quality food. I really do want to go back for a Sunday Dinner - maybe when I'm back in July for Milo's first birthday!

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/18/2011

    Sorry to say this place was just not for me. Tons of beer with very knowledgeable wait staff who are very willing to educate.  The food was just not for my pallet I guess? Lots of pork dishes? And the long table communal seating? Felt like everyone was in on my conversation and I in on theirs.  Just not my type place I guess??

  • 2.0 star rating
    6/8/2011

    Is it just me or is every dish here way too salty? I expected to leave this restaurant happy and satisfied. I left wondering what the big fuss is about. Most dishes approached great, but left me gulping down water because of the sodium content.

    Service started out very helpful and attentive, but as the restaurant filled up I started to feel forgotten about. We sat near the kitchen and I also saw one of the chefs taste the food and then stick the same spoon back in the pan. I'm sure this happens more than I care to know, but when you see it happen right in front of you, it heightens the ick factor.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/9/2012

    came here every weekend for brunch, but only really just craved the pork belly sandwich, which is absolutely delicious but not there every weekend, you have to call in advance to check.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/6/2010

    Ok communal dinning...let's give it a try. Loved this place! We loved all of what we ordered. The mussles, sardines- salty, and the pork belly dish were ok though, but were not a showstopper! Lets see.. we had oysters -- one of them I really loved the buttier one, I forget the name, then we had the spicy pork rinds --- mmm mmm good baby! Could have had 5 more of those but hey it's pork sooo we had to stop at 1 heheheh. Ok then we had fries with fried eggs! Eggs on top of fries? Wow, that's something original! They were good. We wanted the bone marrow dish but they sold out for the night. We had a few other dishes. Communal dinning was not so bad. The reservations at the end of the table did not arrive until almost at the end of our meal.  Servers were good. Atmosphere was fine- Saturday, we arrived at 6pm and it was humming but not crowded. There were booths and you have to make reservations for those in advance.

  • 3.0 star rating
    12/28/2008

    As a huge fan of both Avec and Blackbird, I had been looking forward to the (over-hyped) opening of this place for several months, but I gotta say I was a bit disappointed. It specializes in beer, oysters, and pork, and since I'm not a fan of oysters or beer,  I can only comment on the pork.  While nothing we tried was bad, nothing was really amazing either; the flavors were very one note, without the complexity you'd find at either of their two sister restaurants.

    We tried the steak tartare (the best of the bunch with perfectly cooked frites and a side of pickles; a fairly traditional preparation with a raw quail egg on top; raw egg + raw beef  = yum;  no, really); the potted rillettes (basically pulled pork that you spread on toast points; EXTREMELY salty -- which I liked -- but my partner found off-putting); the whitefish fry (good, but lacking in fish; again, EXTREMELY salty; brine, perhaps?); and the blood sausage (average; came with giardinera which were more of a sweet pickled variety, than the typical spicy kind)

    The service was good, even if our waiter was a little snarky. The manager (owner?) came by and asked how everything was, which was nice, but we couldn't help noticing that his pants at the bottom were showing about three inches of leg (Hey, when's the flood?!).

    As for the decor (supposedly German beer hall chic), I was also disappointed. I'm guessing they spent some money on this place, but it doesn't look it. The lighting is full of these hanging globes which are in every bad Lakeview studio apartment. They covered the ceiling in textured wallpaper, but it resembles a bad popcorn ceiling--not the look I'm sure they were going for. The bathrooms, however, are cool and worth checking out.  

    Also, enough already with the damn communal tables!!! I know it's trendy, but I don't want to sit next to strangers. There, I said it.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/7/2009

    Great surprise! We were looking for a different restaurant and ended up there.Bit concerned in the beginning, specially after seeing the pigs paintings on the walls.Weird.But funny.
    By the place you would never say how good the food and service are.
    Great list of beers, great appetizers, very nice staff.I became a fan!
    Check out the restrooms too.It worth a visit. :)

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/26/2010

    I don't know what's better: The food, the drinks, or the interior.  All wonderful, all revolving around a smart staff, and all making you feel retardedly awesome when you leave.  Pack your wallet.

  • 2.0 star rating
    2/7/2011

    We went with a group of 8 a few weeks back. I've been meaning to go for some time and now I realize I wasn't missing much. At $75 per person (food and wine) it was hardly worth it. Service was great but there wasn't one stand out dish I can remember - maybe a desert we had at the end? I can recall just 2 dishes, both disappointing -  a brussell sprout dish where they shredded the sprouts and served them raw like a salad. I guess that's 'unexpected' but you're a meaty place Publican, how about something hearty during a Chicago winter - like roasted brussell sprouts?? Then there was some pork version of a truducken - various parts of a pig wrapped around itself. It should have been blissful. Not.  There are so many places you can go and get a fantastic meal / drinks for $75 and this isn't it.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/31/2011

    Some things better than others. Chicken disappointing. But then, why would you order chicken at a place with paintings of pigs on the walls? Succulent sweat-breads, epiphanic pork belly.

  • 3.0 star rating
    12/22/2009
    5 check-ins

    We saw mixed reviews for this place, but one of our friend's friend strongly recommended it, so there we were. It is an impressive space with lots of beautiful lighting, tall ceilings, and beautiful (rustic) seating. The bathrooms are a sight (you have to see it), and the bar is gigantic. We ordered spicy pork grinds, country rib, frits, spaghetti squash, oysters, mussels, waffle, and lemon tart. I have to say, everything was beautiful to look at, but not as tasty as I'd imagined. Some are too salty, too dry, just not really worth the money or the hype.

  • 3.0 star rating
    11/10/2008

    This is not a place for a vegetarian.

    Came here with some folks from work with high expectations.  Was not impressed with the interior - it's like a great big German beer hall pretending to be a nice restaurant.  The walls need something.  And it's noisy.  And why aren't there any mirrors in the bathroom?

    The majority of the menu is meat, especially pork.  I wasn't initially impressed with any of the fish dishes but, after hearing multiple raves for the John Dory, I chose that for my entree.  And everyone was right - it was delicious.

    The beer and wine list is extensive and we relied on our server for help.  We had some delicious sparkling wine to start and then I tried a recommended beer with my entree. The desserts looked fabulous, but we chose not to order one (not my choice).  Wouldn't go back unless it was for another work dinner.

  • 2.0 star rating
    7/23/2011

    Leaving one star sucks... But I'm going to anyway because the staff we witnessed on Sunday was super duper lame! I know they they were crazy busy all afternoon because of Pitchfork, and it's probably just as busy every other Sunday because apparently it's a really great restaurant but I was not patient enough to find out.
    We were told it was gonna be about an hour wait, which was cool because they have a sweet waiting area and from what I heard, some great bloody marys.... After waiting about fifteen minutes at one of the neat high top standing tables I began to wonder if the host really said "A server will be with you shortly"... So I awkwardly went towards the bar-type table thing when I saw a hostess and asked if a server waited on the cocktail tables and she said someone would be by our table in a minute... Cool... it's busy.... I get all that! But after literally another fifteen minutes without any acknowledgment what so ever drove me crazy! Not to mention the casual mannerisms in which the person at the door had when we told her to take us off the list... IRRITATING!!! Like they did not give a crap!
    Oh well... I changed it to two stars because of the decor and the cool seating arrangement, and next time I'll make a reservation.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/29/2012

    We made a reservation for 11am Saturday brunch.  We were running 15 minutes late and called to notify them of this inconvience.  No problems there.  Let's see... we shared a dozen oysters (comes with this balsamic dressing on the side - delicious) and maple syrup braised bacon (can't go here without trying good ol' swine).  He had the meatloaf sandwich (wagyu short rib and pork shoulder ground together with other sauces on ciabetta bread with a sunny side egg - this is a must) and I had the eggs with foccacia bread (this one was just ok, nothing extravagant about this plate. Just that it's very airy and light).  Besides the egg dish, everything else was spectacular.  On my top list of brunch places for sure!

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/16/2010
    1 check-in

    Brunch at Publican is what dreams are made of.  The bloody mary with beer sidecar and Intelligentsia coffee is great started.  The pork cheek sandwich with fried egg on top is amazing.  Pork cheek sounds a little weird, but my good buddy Anthony Bourdain says that cheek is the best cut of meat on any animal/fish.  I now have to agree.  Not sure how they prepare it, but it is almost a pot roast consistency that falls apart when you cut it.  No knife needed.  The bacon stole the show though.  It was house cured and cut super thick.  I'm talking 3/4" thick.  This ain't Denny's grand-slam style.  The interior space was nice and the service was spot-on.  I will definite be making reservations here next time I am in Chicago.

  • 3.0 star rating
    12/7/2008

    The trite version:
    Fantastic beer list.  Excellent food.  Outstanding service.

    *Difficult for parties over 4 people.*

    Beer List + Good Food seem to be mutually exclusive in Chicago.  This place has both in a trendy environment.  The main room is very live, though, and you'll find it hard to converse without speaking up considerably.

    My only gripe is that we stood and stood and stood waiting for a table and finally gave up after 2 and a half hours.  This wasn't really anyone's fault, as Publican is a popular place, we were there on an early Friday night, and our party had 8 people in it.  The manager was very polite and apologetic, comped us a few appetizers, and gave me her card for next time.

    I'll definitely try this place again, but I'll make sure there are four or fewer of us next time.  The booths along the wall look perfect for two couples, and that's where I think the best experience might be had.

    While it won't necessarily replace anything in your beer joint repertoire, Publican is worth adding to your rotation just for it's atmosphere and feel.  It's truly different.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/6/2010

    Went here with my girlfriends for a Sunday brunch and we LOVED it. The food was good, the endless coffee refills simply delicious and the crowd was fun to watch *wink*. Also loved the decor here. A good experience. Also, the brunch was $20 per person....not bad at all !!

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/8/2009

    I love the Publican.  It is everything a restaurant should be.  Focus in on the food, plain and simple.  Rustic presentation and flavors.  Waiter was attentive, chatty, helpful.  The space was cool too.  One thing worth noting, you could easily do this place on the cheap...many dishes are in the $10-15 range.  This would be a great place for a couple are beers and some tasty snacks.

    Beer-  Three Floyds, enough said.
    Pickles- Cauliflower, bread and butter slices, fennel, raisins.  Great little snack to begin the dining experience.
    Spicy Pork Rinds- Light and tasty, great with beer.
    Oysters- I am far from an oyster aficionado, but these were tasty.  Not fishy at all.....sweet, salty, crisp, and clean.
    Ham-  Ham selection....3 hams...all quite tasty.  Might have enjoy it a bit more if I'd eaten it earlier in the meal.
    Marrow Bones-  Oh my.  Globs of bone marrow straight from the bone spread onto rustic bread.  I have died and gone to heaven.
    Waffle- Lightest and crispiest waffle I've ever had.  Great way to end the meal (along with some Intelligentsia coffee of course.)

    I will be back soon (hopefully)

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/23/2010

    So, riddle me this.  Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz, the dynamic duo behind Boka, Landmark, Perennial, & Girl and the Goat, were sitting across the way from me at The Publican on a late weeknight.  I know, I know, there's a lot of love in the restaurant community.  It's not uncommon to see chefs and owners frequent other establishments.  I can't tell you how many times I've seen Jerry Kleiner when I'm at Lula Café.  Don't you think though that it's a little dubious seeing these 2 guys at The Publican?  It's a mere 5 minutes walk from Girl and the Goat, and for me, they are direct competitors of each other.  Anyway, I'm just saying...

    I've been to Publican many times, and have been impressed with their consistently solid food.  This evening started with a bottle of the 2007 Caligiore Reserve bonarda from Mendoza.  Argentinian malbecs get all the love, but this humble bonarda asserted itself with loads of berries and fig.  The Fried Perch came, pieces of crispy fish with sweet potato crisps, shaved celery, shaved Parmigiano, and a harissa aioli.  I liked how the breading was crispy and crunchy, but not doughy.  The harissa aioli gave a very nice punch of heat.  Would have been perfect if the dish was served in a paper bag, and I was staring at the sea somewhere along the Amalfi coast.  Next up was Tuscan Kale with Raisins and Pine Nuts.  Slightly blanched kale, a nice touch as it took out the rawness of the leaves.  The kale was dressed in an assertive vinaigrette of garlic and chili peppers.  I haven't been here in a while, and was reminded again of their brand of salty, aggressive food.  Then, the finale, Roasted Slagel Farm Chicken with Summer Sausage and Frites.  I just loved the juiciness of the chicken.  The summer sausages were in thick chunks (think small corn cobs), and assertively smoky.  The fries were nicely crisped, and just a touch soggy from having sat in the chicken jus.  And let me tell you about the jus!  All the chicken goodness, flavored with oregano and lemon.  Everything I had cut up went back into the platter to get slicked with the jus.  I can drink this all day.

    Why 3 stars?  Publican is good at doing what it does.  Everything is bold and assertively flavored.  A heavy hand on the salt, so just be mindful of that.  Coming here, one has to have the mindset of eating a heavy, hearty meal.  So while I don't come here often, whenever the occasion calls for it, I'll be there.  I'll be looking out for the Bat Signal.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/24/2010
    Listed in Gimme Some Yum

    It feels like almost every day I think of the Publican with love. The bavarian mustard that comes with the weiswurst takes the cake as the best condiment seved alongside any dish I've had this year. The whole dish was perfection. Also, the hanger steak & eggs with a mimosa makes for a perfect brunch. The service is great, coffee is great and parking is easy. What's not to love? I guess I don't have to go into extreme detail given how many reviews there already are of this place. Just know that it lives up to the hype in every way and becomes an addiction.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 5.0 star rating
    7/24/2012

    Awesome atmosphere, amazing food.  Oysters were amazing.  And perfect service!

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/28/2010

    the piggy tugged at my heart strings.

    oh, lord, i am a pig fanatic. pork belly, bacon, pulled pork, pork rhinds, you name it.

    between the 3 of us we ordered 6 plates and later a dessert. we started with:

    pork rhinds- WOW!!! Best, ever.
    fig salad- delish
    ham- gooooood.

    fried perch- oh, lordy, this was a big delicious shocker.
    lamb loin-  good, aziza-esque
    porchetta- dayummm, fierce!

    will def be back or will have to try out blackbird.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/29/2010

    Went here before the Bears game for a quick brunch. I love his other restaurants so I did expect alot, I wasn't disappointed. The bloody marys with a beer back were very tasty. My brother in laws had the wine poached eggs and the scrapple. Both very good. We shared a slab of pork belly and I decided to go german with the weirwurst. Its a veal sausage served boiled. When the copper all clad pot was placed in front of me it was huge!  There were five of them and it was more than I could eat. Although very light if you can believe very filling. We also got a side of what I would compare to a latke. Crispy and delicious! Can't wait to go again. I also thought the decor was fantastic!!

  • 3.0 star rating
    7/19/2012

    Great atmosphere, middling food.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/17/2011

    Food: 5/5, Service: 4/5.  A unique dining experience.  Beer & wine only.

  • 2.0 star rating
    5/21/2010

    So I'm going to have to piggyback on Pip G. and Joel A.'s reviews about being able to actually see the things you don't want to see whilst dining in a pretty hip and new restaurant.  I do have to admit that prior to actually going The Publican, my friend and I briefly skimmed Pip G.'s review, but didn't take into consideration the grossness when finally agreeing upon The Publican.  Do we regret it?  I don't think so.  Just kind of creeped out.

    So you've already read about the long communal tables.  My friend and I sat across from one another next to a group of about 6-7 people.  It was still pretty early before any kind of rush, so they left us a chair between us and them.  Fab!  We weren't too hungry so we chose a bleu cheese and the ham sampler on which to nosh.  We also ordered some good beers.  As mentioned before, this was before the evening rush, so there seemed to be significantly more employees on the dining floor than patrons.  This caused the employees - bussers, expeditors, etc. - to have to find things to do, as to look busy.  So the guy assigned to our area was this such person...and probably has ADD.  He was constantly fidgeting with the table settings and chairs.  He was re-re-re-re-arranging a table setting 2 seats down from us when we both noticed that he was having trouble clearing away some crumbs from the cracks of the aforementioned communal tables.  He couldn't clean it out with his rag, so he grabbed the knife and used the tip of it to clear away the crumbs, and then placed the knife back on the side of the plate.  Then he walked away.  Now...just like Joel A. said "we can see you!"  

    My friend and I had to do our good deed for the day and get that knife replaced somehow without totally calling this dude out.  But he was such a lurker, that it made it difficult to make a move.  I was able to switch the knife with the one next to me so that I could keep my eyes on it.  We tried to scoot it over towards our eating area as if we were using it and he, of course, came by and moved it next to the plate - not even conferring with us if we were using it.  Finally we were able to sneak it on to our plates as another man cleared our table.  Of course shortly thereafter, once our 'friend' saw that there was a knife missing, he quickly replaced it....but from where did he get that knife...??

    Needless to say, the food, the little that we ate, was good.  Great beer selection - lots of Euro, US microbrews, and local brews.  Has a great ambiance and I'm sure it's bumpin' later at night.  

    I'd recommend it with the disclaimer, of course, but probably wouldn't go back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/24/2010

    I read about the Publican some time ago in Time Out, but did not think much of it, since I am not into overpriced, overhyped, and over the top beer hall type places. But reading someone else's review on Yelp for another brunch place piqued my interest and then I decided to do a little more research.  

    I then decided to do some more serious research on Yelp, cause I trust you guys. So armed with the following Yelp knowledge:

    1. Find street parking (because may be issues with valet)
    2. Get the two seats in front of the kitchen
    3. Order the red wine poached eggs
    4. Order pork rinds - yeah, no kidding
    5. Bloody Mary is unique and splendid
    6. Sometimes they forget your reservations
    7. Kitchen can sometimes forget your food and there is sometimes a lag in service, although the service is attentive and excellent (very hard to understand this, until you actually eat there because it seemingly makes no sense).

    I finally went to the Publican website - and was really amazed at the cool and warm decor (I like it) and the concept of communal dining - which I kind of like in the right mood. The menu itself was not very good at describing the just about life altering food experience that I would have the next morning - in fact the menu is maybe too understated. Knowing that this place appears to be uber popular - I actually made a reservation from the website through OpenTable for 10:00 a.m. Excited with visions of pork rinds and Bloody Marys - I went to sleep determined to get up early enough to find street parking and make sure I get a table upon arrival.

    We get there - find street parking and immediately walk into the restaurant, which is in a style that I really liked. They had our reservation, but the restaurant was mainly empty. I noticed that the two seats in front of the kitchen was empty and asked if we could sit there. The hostess said that was no problem and told us it was the best seats in the house (there are only two seats in front of the kitchen). This was a good idea! Definitely enjoyed watching the magic take place.

    We perused the menu and the waiter was very attentive, knowledgeable and friendly. He got a beer menu for my hubby and even brought him tastes of two beers. I got the Bloody Mary of course and one of the lighter ales as a beer back. We ordered the pork rinds (my husband was against it at first, until I had the waiter describe them); the salad (so delicious and unique); the red wine poached eggs with prosciutto (extremely delicious!!); the ricotta with honey, cherries and beer bread (refreshing and yummy); and an order of maple bacon.

    Yelpers so far are dead on correct even as to where things started to get a bit uneven - read on, I am almost done.

    - As we dined, the restaurant was filling up and the kitchen was getting swamped but orders were coming out nicely. Our food came out in a nice fashion, but the maple bacon was last. We noticed one of the chefs actually hand marking off orders (this may be the source of the problem). The waiter definitely took down the order and even remarked to us that the bacon will be out soon. We waited a long time and finished everything else and were pretty stuffed. The waiter kind of disappeared and no one else really looks at you to check on you as you are nearing the end of your meal. Our coffee needed to be refilled and I can see how people can get a bit frustrated with getting refreshes on drinks. But I know the problem - the servers and support are excellent, but they probably need more of them to serve everyone in the manner they are trained, which is to provide attentive and excellent service. Also, hand marking off an order may not be the most efficient way of handling this as the kitchen clearly forgot the bacon. The waiter did finally come around and he apologized for the bacon, he offered it to us gratis, but we were full by then and only wanted a taste - he brought out two pieces of thick bacon gratis to taste (more like luscious pork belly beautifully cooked in a nicely sweet maple sauce). It was so rich and delicious.

    I gave the place 5 stars because the food was incredibly delicious. I was so happy the whole time. The price was not outrageous for the quality and it was worth every dime. I want to try the mussels next time, as one Yelper exclaimed that they are the best she has ever had.

    So thank you Yelpers! And thank you Publican for a great experience.

    Ps. The noise level did not seem bad to us, but then it wasn't as crowded when we went.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/9/2011
    2 check-ins

    Great food, great atmosphere, reasonably priced. One of my favorites.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/18/2009

    I recently celebrated my wedding anniversary at Publican.  Whooa  Buddy.  The quality was exceptional.  While I refuse to habitually expend the level of finances that my wife and I dropped on this meal, such an occasion warrants the money.  

    To begin, my wife and I had the pork rinds, or home made chicharon, with a couple of beers.  She had a Belgian White and I a Three Floyd's Gumball Head.  Beer with these sea salt and malted vinegar chicaron was simply bitchin'.  

    We followed that app up the Charcuterie plate and then with some Oysters.  The Morteau sausage on that Charcuterie plate was bad ass.  Smokey with a pinch of spicy heat, ooohh boy.  Then, the Oysters.  To give the Potter Stewart paraphrase, and front my ignorance, I don't know much about Oysters other than I know a good one when I taste it.   Wifey ordered two of each for a total of six with the Kumamoto ? being the final, and damn fine they were.  

    About this time we started getting into good conversation with our serve Joseph.  He was knowledgeable and recommended anything pork.  We, thusly, ordered the beet salad, the sweetbreads, and finally the Potee.  Damn if the pork belly in that Potee wasn't some of the best I'd ever had.  Also, the lightly breaded sweetbreads were out of sight.  Even that little beet salad with home made ricotta was worth ordering two of.  

    Anyhow, we ordered a small cheese plate, and were comped the waffle desert.  We ordered some small end plates just to have something to dine on as we finished our wine.  So, to wrap it up, if you can get a two top or don't mind eating with strangers, I highly recommend this place.

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/16/2011

    I've been to the Publican two times, and I'm not sure why I went back. The place looks nice, but once you're seated at those long, cafeteria-style wooden tables, you are packed in with other diners. Their conversation becomes your conversation, and, each time I've been, it has been a conversation so awful that it ruins my dining experience. After 8 p.m., you have to shout to be heard, even by the person directly across from you.

    The service is...interesting. There are a lot of visibile waitstaff, walking about in their uniforms, but service is slow. Both waiters I've had have had an attitude.

    Also, the beer list. I guess if beers from the U.K./Belgian beers are really your thing, and you like paying very, very high prices for them, then it might be the place for you. I've found many other restaurants and bars around the city that have much better beer lists; like Maria's Community Bar.

    The food is good, the oysters are wonderful (maybe this is why I came back?), so if you can put up with everything else, then make a reservation (seems necessary) and enjoy.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/17/2009

    If you like the worlds best beers and fresh oysters your gonna love the Publican, I quaffed several exotic brews, Surly furious being one as we waited to be seated. We started with a dozen very fresh oysters
    while sipping on a belguim white beer, Our entrees where the Potee and the Chareuterie Plate, Both very tasty and filling, I wouldn't take a first date there as it is communal seating and quite loud, but in a good way, everyone was having fun!!! I cant wait to go back.

  • 2.0 star rating
    8/14/2011

    Oh, how I wanted to love this place. First off let me say the wait staff was amazing. From the hostess to the bus boys they were top notch; however we literally got all of our food at once.  My boyfriend and I thought we would start with the oysters, follow with mussels and frites then end with the 28oz chop wrapped in pork belly.....amazing right? WRONG!!!!!!
    First, they brought us a bowl of what at first looked like awesome mussels until I looked closer to discover that our mussels were DRY! That to me is a cardinal sin. I LOVE the broth that mussels come in and even enjoy dipping my bread in it as well. Well, as if that wasn't bad enough about 3 minutes in to eating our dry mussels we then get our frites and a huge tray of oysters bought to us at the same time. For anyone who has eaten here before you know how cramped eating space is already. This made for a very uncomfortable first few courses. Ok, dry mussels aside, I was ready to try the oysters. Right away I was a little disappointed not to have cocktail sauce but I'm game to try new things. The oysters were good, but then my boyfriend and I spent the next five minutes picking oyster shell out of our mouth. Whoever shucked those oysters needs to go to Shaw's to get a lesson on how to work fast and clean!
    Next we tried the frites. These were by far the best part of the meal. Perfect in every way!
    Ok now .....The best part. 28 oz of porky deliciousness right? WRONG!!!!! How disappointing!!!!!!! The pork belly that was wrapped around the dish was completely burnt and charred so you almost couldn't recognize it for what it was and the majority of the pork in the center was pure FAT!!!! You had to search through the fat to actually find pieces of pork that was edible.....and might I add that we paid $42 for this dish.
    I have to say that I was truly disappointed with my experience and will not be returning. When I have a culinary night out like this I want food sex from soup to nuts...This was a big bust.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/29/2011

    Yes.  This place is a winner.  I went here with a group of 5 for a low-key birthday party dinner and the family-style servings were perfect for us.  The selection of food is fantastic, and the service was wonderful.  (Thanks, Antonio!  He hooked us up with a birthday candle in our dessert waffle, which I recommend along with the apple & rhubarb crumble.)  We all agreed that we need to come back here for future special occasions.  It's definitely better to come here with a group so you can try a little of everything on the menu, and partake in the communal atmosphere.  So happy to have found this place!!

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/2/2011

    I have to come here for brunch every time I visit Chicago. Serving a bloody mary with a side of beer is pure genius. Every restaurant should be so smart. Booze aside, the pork belly bacon is really what I come back for. Divine. My mouth waters thinking about the steak with peaches mint and feta makes my mouth water. This flavor profile blew my mind. Wine poached eggs is equally amazing. Excellent staff & service. Fab decor.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/21/2011

    Sunday brunch in style. Love the decor. Love the bacon.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/30/2010

    This is one place to try without a doubt.  Make a reservation.  The train car type booths can be reserved by request.  Their Loup De Mer is tasty yet each time it seems that the waitstaff is not versed in how to remove the bones properly.  The best steamed mussels in the city (huge serving) are here.  If you don't want to be adventurous try the half chicken. You won't be disappointed.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/13/2010

    If I was just ranking on the food and beer, this place would be a solid five stars.  Oysters were yum, homemade pickles were great, the selection of three hams was perfectly hammy, the fried perch with sweet potatoes was perfectly non-greasy and crunchy, the cauliflower gratin was flavorful, the sweetbreads were AWESOME, and the langoustines were like buttah.  Desserts?  Waffle and salted caramel cake = WIN.  Unfortunately, the atmosphere was just kind of...weird.  The closed in booths?  The dim lighting?  Just not a fan.  Also, while the service was serviceable, our waiter was kind of a robot - his answers all seemed very scripted and corporate, and he didn't engage us at all (even though anyone could tell that we were there to have a good time).  Only other gripe - if you are out of a beer, strike it on the menu!

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/16/2009

    This is my favorite place in Chicago. The food is unbelievable. The beer list is good. The pork belly is unbelievable.

    Decor: fine. Servers: fine. General staff: fine.

    Who cares about any of that stuff when presented with such incredible oysters and pork?

    My girlfriend and I spent 2 hours there. Had nine different dishes, including oysters, pork belly, frites with eggs, house pickles, ricotta, dessert and espresso. And two beers.

    All for less than 100.

    So so so good.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/16/2011

    One of my favorite restaurants in the city and it could get pricey but it's worth it every time. Best chicken I've had in this country, ever. Oh and the pig...phenomenal. I don't see how the purple pig is also four stars, this place is on a different level. But then again, none of the blackbird fam of restaurants have ever cooked up anything disappointing.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/12/2010

    Lordy, this place is unreal. Three of us went and shared the pork belly, archtic char, charcuterie, sweetbreads, and chicken. It was a lot of food, but not overwhelming. Ambiance is a bit loud and some of the tables looked a bit crowded, but we had a "closed off" booth to ourselves. Waitress was very helpful with the menu and recommendations. If you are a fan of all things meat (pork), fish and share-style eating, this place is a must-go.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/2/2011

    My girlfriend and I went here just about a year ago to celebrate my birthday. Since we went on a Wednesday night reservations were pretty easy to come bye and we were seated at one of the two person tables along the wall. Our waitress was extremely knowledgeable and helped up pick out our meal and drinks. I am pretty sure without her our experience would have been miserable as we had no idea how the menu worked. Luckily, the meal ended up being DELICIOUS. Our first course was a very nice salad (I can't remember what type now), followed by the clam fry (word to the wise, they fry their lemons in there too, my date who had never eaten clam before was very confused by the "odd, star shaped clam that tasted like a lemon"), then brussel sprouts with bacon, and finally the suckling pig. If you go to the Publican for one thing make it the brussel sprouts and bacon, I have never had anything so delicious, the bacon literally melted in my mouth.

    The ambiance is pretty relaxed, and the seating is comfortable. However, they seat people public house style with a few long tables with lots of chairs so if you are the type of person who likes their personal space it may not be for you.

    Beer and wine selection is fantastic.

    Definitely would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a quality, reasonably priced meal.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/3/2011

    Being filipino...I've eaten chicharon (pork rinds) my whole life...so i didn't really see the hype with them here. Pork belly was delicious and ordered the chef's selection oysters.

    We got seated right away, service was awesome, and while the setting does get loud, it wasn't bad at all.

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/3/2009

    Service? Awful. Food? Divine. Decor? Delightful.
    I don't have enough energy to list all the examples of why the service was so bad and how it came THIS CLOSE to ruining the meal.
    To be honest, I've had better food and worse service.
    Just get the pork ribs. Now.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/2/2010

    Paul Kahan. Jerkface. You're going to make me fat.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/28/2011

    The food, the drink, the amazing service! The only thing I could possibly complain about is the the noise (a little loud) and the location (a little far west of where I would like to go), but those are retarded complaints only an idiot would make. I don't want to impose my wish list upon an establishment, especially one as utterly delicious and fun as The Publican.

  • 2.0 star rating
    11/21/2011

    Disappointment. I can't say I was satisfied with my meal, when I can get 3x the serving size and an overall better dish for $7 at the Noon Hour Grill, as opposed to the $12 I paid for an arrogant reinterpretation of bi bim bap. I didn't even get a full egg on my dish, as some of the egg white was cut (the straight line gave it away), and while I'm not making a big stink about the egg, it's symbolic of everything else that lacked in this dish. They ran out of their house-made bacon... really the only reason I came there in the first place, and even though the server was nice enough to give us a complimentary plate of their "regular bacon," it just added insult to injury, as I purchase and cook better bacon at home. My friend's quiche was annoyingly small - and I felt sad I dragged him over here on a Sunday morning for a small wedge of quiche with a bit of side salad (or over-hyped garnish as I see it). The service was pretty good, and so was the coffee. Maybe my experience would have been more positive had they not run out of the only thing I came there for - but honestly, it's not even worth going back to try. After $42 for brunch for two, I'll happily stick to tried and true diners that churn out a belly filling breakfast that might be short on interior design and arrogant interpretations of brunch/breakfast fare, but nourishing to the Sunday morning soul, and gentle on the pocketbook.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/5/2011

    Wow!  Just had dinner there the for the first time recently.  I'm not usually a big pork or ham person, but theirs is insanely good!  It practically melts in your mouth.  Also, the duck fat fries are unbelievable.  Their beer is also good.  Expect a community style open atmosphere.

    Brunch also won't disappoint.  Highly recommend this place.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/8/2011

    I'm a fan, food was real good, beer list was out standing. Didn't like sitting next to a bunch of people I didn't know. Also was very load, If you go I would recommend going with a group.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/4/2010

    Food and Atmosphere get 5 stars for sure!  Beer selection is extensive and the staff was very knowledgeable and gave great suggestions to accompany our meal.  I deducted a star because they mixed up our reservation and then rushed us out for the second seating.

  • 2.0 star rating
    9/1/2009

    i've got a mouthful to say about this place, so put your listening hats on...

    i'd been looking forward to coming to the publican for months; a great beer list and a schmancy meat-based menu seemed right up my alley. i scheduled a thursday night reservation for two and took my mans to celebrate our anniversary.

    we arrived at 7 and were seated promptly. we were placed at one of the long, communal tables which would have been ok had the seats not been crammed so close together. you are literally arm to arm with the persons to your left and right. there's no room to spread out, to push used plates when you're through, or even to set the menus down when you're finished looking. here-in lies problem one and the lead in to problem two, the volume.

    it was DEAFENINGLY loud inside. the majority of the evening's conversation went something like this:
    me: do you want to share a gueze?
    him: do i jaunt to syracuse?!?
    me: a GUEZE!
    him: your shoes?
    me: what?
    him: huh?
    me: never mind
    after a few attempted conversations, we decided to sit in silence for the rest of our meal (sans occasionally shouting at the waitress). i should also point out that i am not typically bothered by noise. i don't mind shouting in a bar, but i don't want to scream an entire conversation in what i consider to be a fine dining establishment.

    problem number three: the menu. i have NO complaints about the food. everything we tried was delicious, from the pickled mackerel to the beet and ricotta salad to the pork shoulder. the food was easily 5-stars in my mind. the menu, however, was a grand failure in terms of information architecture. the dishes are split into four categories: fish, ham, meat, and vegetables. apparently you are supposed to infer that things closer to the top in each category are smaller portions and things closer to the bottom are larger. you are also supposed to know that all food is served family style. once everything was explained (only after asking) we were good to order.

    initially our server ignored us, assuming we were part of a larger party (due to the communal seating i'm sure). we sat beverageless for a good 15-20 minutes before she noticed we were there. she did, however, buy us a round in the end to make up for the delay.

    there were just too many things lacking for me in the publican. the food is the saving grace, but the environment is so unenjoyable i don't think i'll be coming back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/23/2011

    This is my favorite restaurant in Chicago right now. It typifies this city's approach to high cuisine in unadorned style. Cool confidence with the moxie to be judged on merit.

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/8/2010

    Great execution, great service... I write this as I'm lolling around post dinner at Publican.  Standout dish was the Pigs Head (which is exactly what you think it is), a very rich rendition of pork served with excellently pickled vegetables and a nice sweet/spicy mustard.  Beer selections also very tasty, with a secondary shout out to the frites.  My brother-in-law and I also had the scallops and cucumber salad, as well as the oysters, which were all very good (oysters had the nice briny tang) but paled in comparison to a pigs head delivered on a plate. Definitely not for the faint-hearted, but if you are adventurous, a truly nice reward.  Definitely would come back with my carniverous friends!

  • 1.0 star rating
    11/25/2011

    Everyone we knows raves about this places which is why my husband and I made a resevation there, two months in advance, for my 30th birthday. We got there and it was a beautiful evening so we sat outside. From that point, it was all downhill. It took over 20 min for a server to come by and get a drink order. Once we ordered, the food took about 45 min and during that time the server never once stopped by to ask if we'd like another glass of wine. In face we wanted to order a bottle of wine but we hardly saw our server that by that point we didn't want to order a whole bottle and drink it on an empty stomach. I even had to stop our waiter as he was walking by to bring us our check and even then it took about 20 min for him to return a copy to us but only because I had to stop him again as he was walking by.  I was very sad about the whole experience so I told our waiter very politely, once he asked how was everything, that I absolutely hated the service and it was my birthday and I would've appreciated if he at least stopped by at some point to get me a glass of wine. As we were walking out, the nice manager lady stopped us and appoligied for bad experience. They gave us a gift certificate but we'll give to a friend who likes the place because I have no intention to ever go back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/8/2011

    Favorite restaurant in Chicago.

    MUST EAT: Pork belly (which everyone knows) but also the Chicken - amazing flavor because it's spice-rubbed... and with those frites! Mmm.

    I've been a few times, and have always had great service, despite the fact that it's always packed. And the food is consistently GREAT. And, I think, very reasonably priced for the high quality. The ham trio appetizer is also very tasty, the fish (perch maybe?) was good, and they have a great beer selection, of course. Oh, and finally, the atmosphere! So fun and open, so different, so buzzing with those cute communal tables!

    You'll love this place as long as you love food and people.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/12/2008

    First of all, let me say that I had the best service I have EVER had from all of the people working at Publican.  They were consistently knowledgeable and super friendly.  I was there before my friend and the bartenders kept me company, recommended beers, etc.

    I thought the beer selection was great - think hopleafish, but not quite that big of a menu.  The white wine that I had was also good.

    I loved the communal seating option, but alas we just grabbed a table for two.

    As for the food... we had the pickles - yum.  The scallops carpachio was a little small for my taste, but still very tasty.  The mussels were out of this world and the fries... best I have ever had.  Rumor has it, they are fried in beef fat.  But I have to tell you, they are well worth it.  Order them with the egg's on top.

    I almost want to give this place a 5.  Everything was great, just perhaps a little pricey overall.

  • 2.0 star rating
    11/19/2011

    I liked the atmosphere but the food was mediocre at best.  I wanted to like it but every dish I had was less than exciting.  I thought I would love the frites and I had three fries.  I have had much better frites in Pittsburgh at point Brugge

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/8/2012

    This is the second time I've been here for brunch and absolutely satisfied with the food. Unfortunately,  the service is abismal! I keep wanting to love the Publican whole-heartedly but their brunch service is slow, apathetic, and perhaps a little hungover. The first time I brunched with them in a party of four, our food came out cold (which when you're eating bacon and eggs, is kind of gross) and staggered. So while half of our table was eating, the other half was waiting without explanation or apology for 15 minutes. My most recent experience this past Sunday was again, a disappointment. Our waiter looked annoyed we were there, never brought out sugar or cream for the coffee as asked, and then disappeared for 45 minutes until they finally brought out our lukewarm food. Again, once the food came out I was excited because the quality is there, but don't count on good service. After giving it two shots, I won't be back for brunch again unless I stop begrudgingly giving 20% tips and just pay for what I get - great food.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/13/2011

    Loved the Publican! I'd say the biggest problem I had was deciding what to eat. We ordered some sausages for appetizers: the blood sausage was excellent, however, I did want a little more from the Boudin. The spicy pork rinds were a bit of a disappointment, not bad but comparable to something sold by Frito Lay, I was looking for a bigger crunch and a stronger spice. Our friend ordered the farm chicken and this was very tender, it comes with a grilled summer sausage on the side and this was so tasty that I now grill summer sausages when I barbeque.

    However, by far the best dish of the evening was the porchetta, this was a succulent cut of meat wrapped in pork belly and herbs and roasted, it comes out on a plate size cut, and my wife and I split it with a little help from our friend. This dish alone was well worth the price and the visit.

    Last but not least, the beer selection is excellent and the staff is incredibly knowledgeable about which beers best suit which dishes. I had three and each was well balanced with the food before me. I tipped extra on this alone.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/13/2011

    This place surprisingly had the best halibut I've had outside of Seattle.

    The atmosphere was fantastic. I love the standing tables in the middle of the dining room and the great sidewalk seats outside.

    I am looking forward to going back and getting into a cute booth with a door!

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/29/2011

    I've been to Publican a couple of times now.  It's always worth a visit because the menu is constantly changing.  Yay for new things to try!  The downside is that favorite things can also disappear off the menu from visit to visit (I still miss the hangar steak).  I keep coming back for the great, unusual beer selection - on a side note all of the servers are at least level one certified in the cicerone program, so they can offer great recommendations.  Also, do NOT miss the fries with the egg on top.  Nothing better than breaking the yolk with the first fry and dipping it into the yummy goodness.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 5.0 star rating
    11/29/2010

    Went with friends and got to sit in the side booth-boxes. Cool, modern setting, albeit a bit noisy. We had several plates including blood sausage, bone marrow and frites with egg. If you love pork this is the place to go. Great selection of beers (and had beer-istas that were very knowledgeable). I would go back for sure.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/20/2011

    The food here is good and the beer selection is excellent.  Our favorite dish was the brussel sprouts.  The ham was excellent.  We also had the frites and the oysters which were good.  I enjoyed the house made lambic.  My boyfriend is a fan of sour beer and when he spotted a sour beer on the menu he was very excited.  Our server assured us that it was very hard to find that beer in the United States thus it was unusual to find in restaurants.  Obviously when my boyfriend heard this he had had to try it.  The next week we were at the Binnys in the South Loop and found the same bottle of beer for $10 less.  While we enjoyed our meal at The Publican we also felt that the meal was a bit forgettable.  It was nothing compared to some of the meals we have had at Avec.

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/29/2009

    I simply could not wait to try this place.  I am in love with Avec and Blackbird, and thought it would also be amazing..  First off, I am not opposed to communal seating, but this was not quite right..  Something about a 280lb man squeezed right next to me eating bone marrow sort of ruined my appetite.  

    The food was good.  We had octopus, and a trio of hams which were both good, but not something that you would come back for.  We also split the steak tartare which I really didn't like at all.  I think that it is worth a try, but for me, it will probably not be a main stay.  It didn't seem to have a nice balance of choices, or maybe everything was just a little too heavy.  

    The service left a lot to be desired.  My glass of wine and water were both empty for a very long time before our waiter made it back to ask me if I would like anything else..  

    All in all.. worth a try, but I wouldn't race to get there..

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/25/2011

    Quite good food. Better, even, than you'd think based on first impressions.  Came here for Chef Week. Will be back.

    This is a hip, young restaurant with a predominantly hip young crowd in Fulton Market. The food is excellent, pork heavy (artisinal hams, fried pig's ears on your salad), locally sourced, with a large selection of seafood items that were likely added for Lent. The servers are all hip and young, but totally know their food: knowledgeable, attentive, smart.  
    As a not young, not hip person eating alone, I had a lovely meal.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/25/2010

    This was my first experience at The Publican and it went extremely well. This wasn't really "my type of food," but I can certainly appreciate the excellent pairing of flavors and creative dishes. I ate shrimp (with the shell on!) and it was fantastic. They had an incredible selection of beers Our server was very knowledgeable and don't hover or ignore our table. I would certainly go back - but like I said, it's not really my favorite type of food but for meat lovers this place is it.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/19/2011

    We had early reservations for a Saturday (6PM) which I'm thankful for in hindsight.  I went with my husband and we were seated at the far end of one of the long tables nearest to the kitchen. They sat us on a corner so we each only had one other diner on either side of us.

    Thank goodness the waiter explained the menu for us because we didn't know how much to order.  We ended up splitting all of our plates and went with taste of three hams, the white sausage, scallops, the sweet potatoes and kale, and apple salad. I don't plan on ordering the same thing there again so I am glad we did the taste of three hams for our first visit.  The goat butter was outstanding and the hams were salty and creamy and wonderful! The scallops were the best I've ever had, the white sausage was my husband's favorite of the evening.

    I haven't heard much about the desserts but I have to say the mint chocolate chip ice cream was the the most pure mint flavored ice cream I have ever tasted.  We also ordered the apple cobbler - outstanding as well.  

    Can't drink so I did not sample any wine or beer.  They do have a nice jasmine tea.  My husband had one beer that he enjoyed.

    It took a little bit to get used to the communal dining experience but the food is worth it.

    The servers are on top of everything - clearing plates, refilling water, checking in on you.  Great customer service by the hostess too.

    The communal sink outside of the restrooms is a cutesy idea, but the handicap restrooms are equipped with the sink if you do not want to wash your hands with strangers.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/26/2010
    Listed in Top Restaurants

    The oysters here are outstandingly fresh and delicious! As is the deep selection of artesian beer. All the meats and veggies are locally sourced and organic whenever possible.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/12/2009

    We went to Publican with two friends who frequent the place quite a bit. I must say that everything was wonderful...even the food I don't normally enjoy (smoked salmon, in a hash) or have never tried (oysters). Our waiter did an excellent job pairing beers with our courses. My only complaint would be the noise level, but it's a big, open, wooden space, so what can you expect? Also, the portions were really small for the prices, but the quality definitely justified the price tag. We're returning Sunday for their beer dinner...can't wait!

  • 2.0 star rating
    5/19/2011
    1 check-in

    I kept hearing all sorts of reviews from people that I guess my expectations were higher.  It was ok...our waitress wasn't very helpful or pleasant.  That was a major influence on our experience.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/29/2012

    Wonderful place.  Great atmosphere, good service, good food.  Love the communal dining area, but you can also sit at booths (with little swinging doors) & regular tables & outdoor dining in the summer.  Waiter was good & explained things we had questions about.  It's fun to be able to try a number of dishes & share them with others in your party so you don't feel stuffed or have to order one dish.  The frittes with the egg on top were heavenly.  The ham plate was amazing as was the sirloin we ended up with.  Berry salad was great but a little small for 2.  Didn't have desert, but will def go again & try new dishes as well as desert.  Loved this place.  Good for groups or couples or families.

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/13/2011

    It was good, and I was distracted, and if I went alone at an off time and focused on the food, I might give it a fourth star.  But there were a few things that made it difficult for me to do so:

    1.  The noise.  I was here with a group from work, including some of my staff from other offices.  I can do loud, but it was just a bit disconcerting.
    2.  The service.  Very leisurely, bordering on forgetful.
    3.  We thought the server was joking when he said that we should order three things per person.  We ordered two per person.  Three is more like it.  But for the price of three items and some beverages, I want a quieter experience and better service.   Go to #1.

    I do promise that I'll try to go again.  I think a late Saturday afternoon would be a great time to try it.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/31/2010

    HEADCHEESE! it is awesome.. I highly recommend it to carnivores to try their "chacutirie plate". My favorite is the pork belly, very delicious. Great place to dine, good beer selection (craft beers if your a fan). I still yet not try the fish and seafood menu but I sure will when i come back...

  • 3.0 star rating
    8/6/2009
    Listed in Great Date Places

    went to Publican this past Sunday for brunch with out of town guests.  first time here.  knew it would difficult for them to live up to all the hype.  

    Decor:  beautiful and earthy.  love all the wood, the lights, and the cool booths that make you feel like you're in a corral!  only thing i don't care for is the pictures of pigs hanging on every wall...i dont want to be looking at what i'm eating.

    Food:  apparently the menu changes often, so they did not have the fantastic white german sausage i had been told to order.  in fact, they didn't have that much meat in general on the menu, which i was kinda looking forward to.  i ordered the baby squash dish.  consisted of:  2 fried eggs, squash, zucchini, feta cheese and salami (which was in reality 3 pieces of paper-thin sliced pepperoni).  came with 3 triangles of burnt toast (which were still yummy but i lost half the toast after peeling off the black crusts).  the meal was very tasty and fresh, and nice and light.  however, usually when i go for brunch, i want a lot of food and something with a lot of goodness = fat.  the Publican is more of a gourmet, fresh, light fare than anything that will cure a hangover or starving belly.  i wouldn't imagine that many guys would like this place because they would be leaving hungry.  

    my friend ordered the frittata and wasn't at all pleased, although it looked good, she said it lacked flavor (and this girl is happy with everything so i trust her completely). even after dousing it with salt and pepper, she still didn't care for it.  i did try another friend's hash browns which were delicious - i will order these next time.

    Service:  the food took a long time to come out and nobody even ordered any meat or anything that would take a while to cook.  we had a party of 4, there were probably only 20-30 other patrons in the whole restaurant (about 25% occupancy i would guess) and took about 20 mins for the food to come out after ordering.  our waiter was kind of strange, not friendly but not rude, just not personable.  the hostesses were very nice though.

    Bathrooms:  freezing as a meat locker but really neat concept.  separate mens/womens stalls with the largest wooden doors i have ever seen, but communal round stone large sink with the perfect temperature water and good smelling C.O. Bigelow soap/lotions.

    i will go back to Publican to try it for dinner (i was impressed and anxious to try the extensive beer list).  i likely will not be back for brunch, as i would prefer something more akin to Orange, Bongo Room or Tempo.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/30/2010

    Had a service problem here. Brought it to the attention of the hostess and they were on it immediately and ultimately comped us on brunch and then some. Very impressive approach to customer satisfaction and problem solving. And, not to be overlooked, nice gastropub comfort food menu with some interesting twists.  Will be happy to return.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/29/2008

    I went with a friend and we had a great time!

    I'm reading some of the reviews and it seems like maybe they've worked out some of the kinks.  

    Our waiter was knowledgeable and friendly. We had a couple of different kinds of beers and a whole lot of raw meat.  Yum!!!  The steak tartare was good, but the oysters were excellent -- the freshest and tastiest I've ever had in Chicago.

    They could be a little more generous with things like bread and crackers (they were homemade and fantastic), but the service, the quality, the vairety and the fun decor make it a worthwhile trip.  Check out the bathrooms!

    It's probably a great place to go on a first -- or maybe a third ;~) -- date, beer + oysters = brief bouts of happiness.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/22/2012

    Great energy with great food. The pork belly is a must along with their charcuterie. We also had their chicken and whole roasted snapper. These were conceptually great but were slightly flawed. The chicken was unfortunately dry but had great flavor. The whole snapper was great except that it was butchered table side and ended up being blobs of flesh with bones enbedded throughout.

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/17/2010

    I'm still hesitant to say that The Publican has the best Sunday brunch in all of Chicago, but it's definitely among those at the top.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/15/2010

    Saw the USA/ENG soccer match here- truly great. Wonderful spot (and good game too!)

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/2/2011

    I know it's not the greatest attitude to have, but I like to look for faults in establishments that have consistently rave reviews.  That being said, I was blown away by the Publican.

    My girlfriends and I went for brunch and as usual, one of the girls was running late.  Given how crowded the restaurant was, we were expecting a backlash from the staff, but the casual and friendly employees happily pointed us towards the bar tables and promised to seat us when she arrived.

    The decor of the restaurant is cozy and natural, reminiscent of an airy summer cabin.  Most of the seating is communal, with several long tables wrapping through the restaurant.  Smaller tables and booths are available, but the arrangement is done is such a way that the communal seating is surprisingly intimate.

    The brunch menu was mouth watering, as someone who grew up in Milwaukee with a grandmother who was an amazing German cook, any menu that places an emphasis on meat, beer and sauerkraut is on my good side.  I must just say that I have never seen weisswurst on a menu outside of Germany and I was beyond ecstatic!

    The portions are hearty, the ingredients fresh and unique, and you will definitely leave feeling full but not in an uncomfortable way.  I highly HIGHLY recommend the bloody mary with brunch, it was one of the freshest and well-seasoned bloodies I have ever had, which is saying a lot.

    All in all, I can't say enough how much I loved Publican and I cannot wait to go back.  Despite the outrageous hype, the restaurant is surprisingly casual and unassuming.  The staff and ambiance gives off the vibe of a local neighborhood bar, where everyone gives you a smile and makes you feel at home.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/17/2010
    Listed in Top Restaurants

    Such a great space! Not surprising at all to find The Publican is part of the same corp. family that owns the Violet Hour. The interior decorator did a crazy good job on this place. I love the use of these industrial buildings for new purposes, this one fits like a glove. The food is really fresh and the menu tells you exactly where its coming from. Lots of local meats, veggies and brews from Midwest farms and breweries! LOVED it. Great for a small group since you have the option of ordering small medium or large plates. Share and get a taste of everything you can!!

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/21/2009

    Do you have one of those friends who is like, the most amazing cook ever, and whenever they host a party you almost feel bad about yourself because the food was SO good, and their house was SO amazing, and all their friends were SO cool and you know you can never compete? This place is like that. A whole bunch of interesting people from all over the place--tons of industry foodies (a good sign), locals and a couple of tourists, all sitting around communal tables, sharing good, hearty fare (and just when you thought you might want one more little thing--a pretzel? some pickles?--you get them and they're better than any you've tried before), and sometimes making friends with your neighbor.

    To me, this place is quintessentially Chicago. It's social, revolves around meat and beer, and is totally unpretentious.

    They're always packed in here for a reason--the menu, although a bit on the pricey side, is inventive without being intimidating, the service is personable and informed, and the atmosphere is lively. The beer list is out of this world, and the wines by the glass rock too. I think this place definitely lives up to the hype.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/6/2009

    For anyone looking for a great place for brunch without the huge Chicago crowd, I would highly recommend The Publican.  Please note that we started our brunch at 10:30, but getting there early was certainly worth it.  The atmosphere is nice and open, but the high-back chairs and the enclosed booths really allow you to have an intimate conversation with your party.  Even as we were finishing up and the crowd was coming in, I never felt like we were in a packed restaurant.  However, when we were done and I was finally able to lift my head from my absolutely amazing Fried French Toast with blueberry compote and sausage, I noticed that everyone around me was thinking the same thing.  Well worth it!

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/8/2012

    Maybe I was expecting too much. I went Easter Sunday for brunch, and yea, it was crowded. But, isn't it always? Plus, we did not have to wait as a walk in, so I can't imagine the crowd was more than usual. It was good, don't get me wrong. But, if they give you wine poached eggs and tell you to have the yolk run over the salad and prosciutto then it was a bummer that the eggs were cooked hard. They were cool enough to replace it, but then the toast was burnt. It was ok, but it would have been better if the food had been prepared properly.  My friend got the duck hash and thought it was ok.  Our bottle of water was empty for half of the meal. So, I could not really give it more than three stars. I'm sure it could be bettor on another day.

  • 2.0 star rating
    8/12/2010

    While the service and beer selection here were good, I would most sincerely like to know how this place gets away with charging astronomically high prices for teeny tiny, tapas sized portions of food. I am sorry, but 15 bucks for a quarter of a serving of soup (meant to be shared between two people) is just laughable. While the food could be described as good, I have most definitely had better.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/30/2010

    I have enjoyed three meals at The Publican this year and they were all outstanding.  Great service with knowledgeable wait staff that's ready with beer recommendations.  My favorite is the sweatbreads, nicely sauteed with a crispy carmelized skin.  I also enjoyed the pork belly, nicely flavored with plenty of fat.  Excellent bread, and make sure to indulge in the Chef's Choice of oysters.  Cool atmosphere, much like a Public house.  The booths are interesting, kind of like a mini pig pen.  Neat concept.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/8/2009

    This place is awesome!

    I stopped in late one night for drinks, and was very impressed by the beer list. I couldn't eat anything because they had closed the kitchen, but were happy to have us for drinks. The menu looks awesome.

    I love the concept and the decor. The place is beautiful.

    The staff was friendly and happy to talk to us about beer. Hopefully I'll get to eat there some day, but I'm from out of town.

  • 2.0 star rating
    7/17/2009

    I wanted to love Publican after hearing from various friends that it was the best restaurant that they've been to in awhile.   They raved about the pork rinds and the chicken.  We ordered both the chicken and the pork rinds.  Both were too salty.  The chicken came with fries that seemed to be deep fried at least twice.  We also ordered the potee which was moderate but the sausage was also extra salty and I couldn't balance it with the vegetables provided nor with the bread.  I had to drink many glasses of water to clear my palate with these dishes.  The only dish that was not overly salted was the greens.   The greens were delicous.   Sadly it was the only dish we enjoyed.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/1/2011

    Went here for a work meal. Food was fantastic, as was the beer selection. Im not a massive fan of family style which is the only thing that stops me giving 5 stars. I would go here again without hesitation.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/31/2011

    chicago math

    pork + oysters + sour beer = 5

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/15/2010

    After all the raving reviews and abundance of media, I never thought Publican could live up to the hype.  It was a Friday.  Without a prior reservation, I called at 5 pm and asked if they have any seats available for 3. The hostess caught me by surprise and said there is one available right away.  Finally, my chance to hop in and see what everyone has been raving about.
    We were promptly seated at the bar where the beers were being poured.  I'm not sure if the pourer was a cicerone or not, but as I asked him about the recent Lagunitas' dinner, he pulled out the last remaining special and happily served it to me.  Throughout the meal, our waiter served us various pourings on the house, to compliment our meals.  I have never experienced such extraordinary service.
    I'm not one to walk around with my nose in the air, thinking I'm a big shot.  I was dressed in a blue undershirt and jeans (definitely underdressed) and I was being treated as if I actually did matter to them.
    Apps: charcuterie, sardines, pork rinds
    We all decided to share the entire fare.  The first courses consisted of the charcuterie, sardines and pork rinds (of course)  The head cheese  and morteau was delicate and amazing.  The sardines, I believe pan fried, were slightly crispy but still soft enough to filet with the back of my spoon. When the Pork Rinds came out, they looked like normal pork rinds.  These were dusted with cheese, when you take a big crunchy bite into these airy morsels, they suddenly become soft and full of piggy flavor. From what I remember about pork rinds, they are usually crunchy, flavorless and scrape the roof of my mouth. (not that I really ever eat pork rinds)
    Main: Sweet breads, ham chop
    The dishes were all brought out when they were ready.  This was perfect, since we were sharing everything.  Sweetbreads are usually a hit or miss.  Either they are done right, or they taste like nothing but mushy fatty brains.  The sweet breads here were cooked to a crispy perfection.  I brought my 19 yr old Venezuelan cousin along.  He doesn't speak any English.  He took a bite of the sweetbreads, looked at me and said "Mmmmm good Chicken!"  I was laughing so hard and said "yeah the chicken is pretty good."  Then the gigantic ham chop came out.  I wish I took a picture of this magnificent beast.  I don't remember how many ounces the server said it was, but it seemed like it was just under 2 lbs.  It was very buttery, soft and not too sweet.  There were two rib bones served with it that had a perfect crust.  This chop sent us into complete satisfaction.
    Our complimentary stout was served as a dessert, and was sipped on while we digested and reminisced over our degustation. (My cousin did not participate in our beer pairings)

    PS.... There is a Cicerone at The Publican.  His name is Mike McAvena. He is currently working on earning his Master cicerone status, and hopes to achieve this in a year or so. There  are currently only a few who hold this title, so I would definitely attend one of their many Sunday dinner pairings.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/11/2010

    The quick quest for the "spicy pork rinds" from FoodNetwork's "The best thing I ever ate...." turned into.... meal #6 in less than 24 hours.  Still full, outta the cab, and into... the pig pen.  I almost laughed out loud -- people in groups of four were sitting in what used to be pig pens, I imagine.  But the din of the place, the young professionals, decked out in their Chicago style wouldn't let you mistaken it for anything less than one of the trendiest places in town.  Service was attentive, and beer selection was paralyzing... and like i said, the quest for the rinds turned into.... duck heart salad and oyster -- clearwater and kumamotos.  Go with the kumamotos... very sweet and bite size.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/16/2010

    The red wine poached eggs are delicious. And that sausage that comes in a pot of water? It looks like nothing special, but it is so tasty! And it has the best pretzel ever!

    Must get a bloody mary because you won't find any better anywhere in the world. That's right. I said WORLD.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/21/2011

    I really liked the Publican. I always get nervous when places are super hyped up but the joint did not disappoint. I had anxiety with the beer list, I'm more of a wine person, but the server helped me pick a few different ones to try that I ended up really enjoying. I know this place is known for their pork, and I enjoyed the pork, I even tried pork rinds for the first time! However, the dover sole was PERFECT! Do not miss that. Our server was really knowledgeable although I thought he tried to up-sell us on a few things (with all the food we ordered, we should have ordered the 1/2 chicken and he told us we needed the whole). A+ for the atmosphere. I felt much cooler than I am hanging out there.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/13/2010

    Great place to share beers and food with friends.  This is definitely a group place not a date place.  If you are a timid eater, also not a place for you.  If you are a vegetarian, go someplace else.  But if you like pork, beer and sharing delish food.  Head on over.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/21/2009

    We had a lovely dinner here last week to celebrate my husband's birthday. To start, I had the tomato salad and he had the rilettes. To drink, a Lost Abbey beer and a Three Floyd's wheat beer with which I was unfamiliar. For dinner, we had the kobe sirloin and the potee. No detail was left untouched in the decor of this place. It was simply stunning inside. Even the restrooms were glistening. We loved it and will definitely be back!!

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/16/2011

    Dined for the second time last night at The Publican with my husband and a couple of dear friends.  The food is notoriously heavy and rich (pork/beer/seafood are their specialties.  The first time we ate there, my eyes took 3 days to uncross, and I am a true gourmande, so that is saying something.

    The friend who wanted to try it was so excited, I did not want to harsh his mellow by saying it was a fat-a-thon, since that's kind of the point.  I put my stretchiest dress on and off we went.

    Food to die for. Literally.

    The Publican's menu was reliably over-the-top.  You couldn't eat there once a week or possibly not even once a month; you would die.  You'd drop right on the sidewalk waiting for your valet-parked car.  The porchetta (a huge thick slab of pork tenderloin infused with sage? rosemary?) and wrapped in - yes, more pork fat - demanded full concentration on the first bite.  I don't know how they got the flava so far down in there; possibly magic elves were involved.   The Publican's food doesn't speak to the prefrontal cortex at all.  It lights up your hindbrain and your amygdala and all that stuff under the bumpout at the back of your skull.  Don't try to debate Kierkegaard when all your brain will be able to manage is, "Meat good.  Fat good."

    Other highlights of the meal included the rillettes (recipe:  greencitymarket.org/reci…), a pork/pork belly/duck mashup you spread on bread.  If you were trapped in the wilderness with one weeny little pot of rillettes, survival would be a snap - just a spoon a day would do it.   I didn't feel like alcohol, so ordered a remarkable bottle of ginger ale by Bruce Cost (freshgingerale.com) to cut the grease, which it did splendidly.

    The Publican fully recognizes, and in fact celebrates, this orgy to fatty meats.  It's even built into the design of the restaurant.  At one point during the meal I noticed that the line of booths along the wall in the warmly-lit room resembled nothing more than a line of pigpens, filled with contented, pink-skinned pigs fattening up.  The impression was strongly reinforced by the giant paintings of pigs hanging directly over their heads.  Evidently at least 40 other people in the world so far have been struck by the resemblance.  Judging from their comments, though, it looks as though people found the booths to be comfy-cozy, not creepy at all.  Me, I'm thinking, holy shit, is the owner going all Sweeney Todd on our heinies?? What if that's not porchetta we're eating?  I pushed the thought away as the palate-cleansing grape sorbet arrived, staggered out to the sidewalk, and as you can see, did not die.  Yet.

    I do think everyone who likes meat and can afford it should try the place once to see what they think.  My only real criticism of The Publican is that there's so little to relieve the heaviness/greasiness of the food.  They do offer a "pork digestif" cocktail, and the aforementioned sorbet, but mostly it's unrelieved grease in every single dish - even in the side dishes.  The corn we ate on our first visit was overpoweringly rich; on this visit, a simple side dish of swiss chard, although delicious, was completely weighed down by cheese and what had to be butter.  If they wanted to prevent that woozy feeling - and who knows? maybe they want to encourage it - there would be a few "clean" items interleaved between all the heavy-hitters.  I'm thinking something as simple as some cold, raw apple slices on a plate along with your bread.  Or a super-simple green salad with a low- or no-oil tart citrus dressing.  You find yourself at the end of the meal thirsting for gallons of water and something fresh.

    Yet the Publican does what it tries to do incredibly well.  And the fact that it's located smack in the middle of the Fulton Market meat district is, at least, an honest way of acknowledging that the diners are all there to literally pig out on big fat animals.  Fifty feet from the entrance, you're hit with the nauseating smell of 100 years' worth of spilled, not-quite-hosed-off, baked-on animal guts on the sidewalk and streets.  Yeah, sure, it's gross, but you know what?   Being a carnivore IS gross.  At least The Publican owns up to it.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/11/2009

    Last night I had dinner at the Publican and it couldn't have been any better.  The food was delicious!  My two particular favorites were the steak tartar and the Potee.  Everything was made to order, and for the table to share- which is personally my favorite way to dine.  Our dishes were served perfectly paced and our service was great.

    I also loved the setup of communal tables even though we were seated in an enclosed booth which I thought fun.  

    Overall- a wonderful experience that I will be back again and again to enjoy.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/22/2010
    1 check-in

    Pork!!! Lovely, wonderful, artery clogging pork! Oh, how I love thee. This place rocks., Great food, great service, great beer. WAY too loud and the seats are not comfortable at all. But I would recommend you give it a shot.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/10/2011

    Best sweetbreads I've ever tasted. Delicious Catalan Stew, chef's choice oysters, blood sausages, Serrano ham, burrata & beat salad...

    highly recommended Sunday night comfort food.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/13/2011

    I've been to the Publican twice and I think it is a nice trendy place with an awesome beer menu.  If you want to try a great gastropub, I was recommend this place.

    The first time I went, we ordered some smaller appetizer style dishes, a variety of cheeses and meats which was good.  Pork rinds, cheese, frites, all pretty good.

    The second time, we ordered more off the menu, including ribs and chicken.  I had a Belgian lambic beer which is pricy was so tasty.

    All in all, a great place to try.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

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  • Start your review of The Publican.

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  • 1.0 star rating
    5/26/2012

    The food was pretty good, but more so interesting than delicious.  A bit overpriced if you ask me, however. The main distaste I had with publican was the service.  For a "quality" establishment I wouldn't have expected the waiter to completely ignore us. He never came by to ask us how our food was and was quite unfriendly.  It was not very crowded when we were there, but you would have thought so by the service. Our cups of coffee and water were empty for a very long time. When the waiter's assistant finally came by to refill our coffee he spilled it all over my lap and barely apologized.  He said he would go grab some more napkins, but he never returned.  I will not be going back here.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/17/2010
    1 check-in

    I really like this West Loop bar/restaurant. When I first walk in, the openess and the long benches really visually appeal to me. Their service is prompt and very friendly, and they take pride to give great recommendations. I had the red-wine eggs benedict and maple cured bacon. The red-wine eggs benedict is definitely unique. The eggs are cooked just right, which is not too running and not too over cooked. The infusion of red wine brings a slightly tard taste to the dish, which adds texture to the already flavorful eggs ben. The maple cured bacon is awesome! If you like Clinton Street Bakery Co. in NYC, you would definitely love this one! It's sweet and juicy. Love it! Will definitely go back there again!

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/21/2009

    My head was spinning from the high alcohol content beer and other drink consumed during my meal at the Publican.  I need to go back.  Highlights:  Oysters were fantastic -- creamy, cool, oceany and satisfying.  Watermelon and tuna thing; tuna crudo- nice combo of sweet and savory and the textures were nice together.  I'm not doing this place justice with my crappy review but I'll definitely be back.  The room is beautiful, service was great, the beer list is extensive.  We had a nice little bottle of something called Innocent Bystander at the end which was delicious.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/12/2012

    so... I called on a Saturday to make a reso for Sunday Brunch... unfortunately, I was too late... Booked!... we really wanted to try it anyway... we had a VERY comfortable  45 minute wait... the room was buzzing... even though the staff was incredibly busy, there was no lack of genuine smiles and eye contact... seated and greeted immediately... excellent food, even for the surprise guest who was vegetarian... I would have never brought him here had I known, but he still had a pleasant time... great energy... clever restrooms... a great experience all around...

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/9/2010

    Just made it to The Publican for the first time last night and had a great time. There were four of us and we had drinks and snacks in the bar as we arrived early and were waiting for our table reservation.

    The beer selection is top notch, but definitely expect to pay premium prices for their premium selections. I do have some issue with a $7 beer that seems at or less than 12oz, but you just have to deal with that and be prepared for a hefty price tag for everything at The Publican.

    We had a 1/2 dozen oysters (chef's choice), which were fresh and delicious, along with the charcuterie plate, which was a great way to get our feet wet with the pork-filled feast we were about to dive into for our seated dinner.

    After we were seated, we shared three meat dishes, two seafood dishes and a veggie dish.

    We started off with the beets and burratta, which was possibly my favorite dish from the night. It was a generous portion and easily sharable with a light sweetness that I could have easily had a another two plates of. The sardines (yes you can eat the bones and should for the extra flavor) and mussels came next. Definitely ask for extra bread to sop up the broth from the mussels.

    For meats, we had the sweetbreads, pork belly and pasta/rabbit/chorizo dish. All were delicious and very sharable.

    Altogether, we spent about $100/person with tax and tip that night. Definitely pricey and not a place that I would go every week, but a fun and delicious dinner if you're willing to drop some cash.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/13/2010

    I can't really explain how much I love The Publican. I could try, but it wouldn't do it justice. There are so many amazing places to eat in Chicago, but The Publican continues to be my favorite. It's the #1 place I want to take all out of town visitors and the first place I think of when we want to go out. It serves up all three of my major food groups (beer, seafood, and pork) in ridiculously good ways; I still haven't found an equal to their mussels (even in Belgium). I'm super specific about the meat that I eat, and there I don't have to worry that my pig parts are jacked up full of hormones or flown in from 3000 miles away. Really, I just want to live there.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/24/2009

    Beer and pork lovers oasis, The Publican is a lively European style beer hall with a hugh selection of craft beers, and excellent food.  In my recent visits we started with the fresh walleye fish fry, seasonal oysters, colorful beets salad, and crisp apple salad.  The star entrees were the delicious pork belly and zesty country ribs.  The large communal tables, cozy booths (or stalls) and ample beer selection encourage sharing and conversation,  Great place for tasty food and a lively atmosphere.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/15/2010

    last night we thought we'd stop in just for a drink and a small plate or two. we weren't that hungry yet and thought we'd wait to eat dinner until later. max and i took a seat at the bar.

    we ordered 2 beers and had the pork rinds and hamachi crudo. both were great and immediately had us wanting more. so we ditched our plans to eat a full dinner later and decided to just order more food here.

    like i mentioned, we weren't that hungry so we just had the pork rillettes with cherries and the asparagus with apricots. oh wow. these 2 dishes were wonderful. and definitely two of our favorites we've had here. the rillettes went perfectly with the cherries and the glaze. it was also a pretty decent sized dish. the asparagus was amazing as well. highly recommend.

    service was great as usual as is the atmosphere.

    the publican once again, did not disappoint.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/14/2012

    I recently celebrated Mother's Day here and LOVED it.  The brunch is great.  We have been here twice before for dinner, which was also excellent.  Great place for foodies.  The only thing I don't like is the communal seating.  However, I'm willing to over look that considering that the food and service is top notch.

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/26/2010

    Ommegang Hennepin, Crudo with lime, country ribs with curried cauliflower, little gem salad, chocolate souffle with burnt vanilla ice cream, sampled the jamon iberico. I don't think I've seen a more beautiful interior in Chicago. My only gripe is the weirdo bathrooms/fountain.

  • 2.0 star rating
    7/9/2009

    This place has a very cool ambience, but the food does not measure up.  I was most disappointed with my steak... I should've gotten a clue when the waiter didn't ask me how I wanted it done.  The steak came back well done, the texture was tough and all the flavor had been cooked out of it (surprise!), and the cheese accompaniment was overpowering.  =P  Blah.  The broccoli side dish was okay.  The only thing that was actually really good was the salad.  To add insult to injury, the un-tasty food is overpriced.  Overall, a lackluster and disappointing experience.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/3/2010
    1 check-in

    Excellent food and beer but the service was a bit rude.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/11/2009

    The best i've had in a looooong time.
    I went here with a friend on a Thursday evening and had a very early reservation for dinner (5:30 reservations is a great way to get one of the tables for two rather than one of the massive tables that remind me of something out of a Arthurian legend). We decided to sample as much as our bellies and wallets  could handle. We each started with an oyster (my first!) from New Zealand. It was really a spectacular first experience with the slimy little guys--fresh and smooth. Then we tried the potted rilletes which were not my favorite dish of the night, but still very good (they seemed under seasoned). It was a steady parade of food to the table all evening since they don't bring it all at once, but I loved that fact. It allowed us to concentrate on the flavors of the individual dishes. We had the smoked whitefish, the sweetbreads (so smooth and buttery it was sinful), the daily pickles (I highly recommend this as they allow you to cleanse your palate between courses and are delicious to boot.), and more. We sampled both a dessert (waffle with blackberries and honey butter) as well as a cheese. This place has a great menu and an outstanding beer list. I'll be back for another round of deliciousness.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/23/2010

    Amazing beer selection. Top service. The sweet breads, oysters, and Calve's brains were spot on. The pork entree was mediocre at best.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/29/2010

    The Publican is great, definitely full of bourgeois food types, but I was really excited to take my out of town bf here. The food was fantastic, alcohol selection was great, and the decor was cute.

    My only complaint was that my server seemed like he was high, or bored, and wasn't that helpful.

  • 2.0 star rating
    6/14/2011

    Don't suggest delivery...overpriced, slow and cold. Cookie/brownie dessert was pretty amazing tho. Better when you dine in.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/30/2009
    Listed in Fancy Shmancy

    I went here for brunch today with 4 other friends. I had been wanting to dine here for a while and brunch seemed like a good way to introduce myself to the Publican.

    If you hadn't heard, this place has communial seating - meaning you share one big long table with fellow diners. They do have booths though...with barn door on them for privacy. There is also bar seating. Also, I was told I HAD to go to the bathroom so I did. It also is sort of a communial area...really it's just the hand wash area that is shared by both men & women...there are three stalls for the women and three stalls for the men but they aren't really like stalls but more like a tiny bathrooms behind a huge barn doors. You may also notice several different very large pig paintings...because the Publican is like an all out pork fest. Awe yea...

    So here is the run down...Mrs. S had the smoked trout & bagel combo, my friend Burgee had the red wine poached eggs, Uncle Phil had the omlette, I had the pork shoulder sandwich and my friend T-Bone had the onion tartin (no, I am not making my friend's knick names up - those are really their knick names). We also got some goodies to share...spicy pork rinds, Publican bacon, summer sausage, frites w/egg and truffle hasbrowns. We werent effin around, it was time to get our pork on.

    Everyone was really happy with everything...and I tried everything except the omlette. The smoked trout was pretty good but I have this thing about fish & cream cheese so I only tried the fish (fish & cream cheese do not belong together...ever) so I had to take Mrs S' word that it was a good combo. I thought Burgee's poached eggs were good and even better with some proscuitto...yes more pork...shocking). I enjoyed the onion tartin - flaky, savory & delicious. I thought the pork shoulder sandwich was pretty solid...how can pork shoulder, bacon and a fried egg NOT be good? Pork rinds - yum. Black truffle hashbrowns - check. Frites and summer sausage - good and good. Now...the bacon. Sigh. Oh Publican bacon...I love you and all your maple syrup braisyness. It's two nice big thick slabs of bacon braised in maple syrup. Don't make the mistake of sharing an order....be selfish and order a side just for yourself or you will find yourself eyeing other people's bacon later.

    Oh, I don't normally like Bloody Mary's...which is odd b/c I like tomato juice and I certaintly like vodka but everytime I've tried one - blech. Anyhow my friend T-Bone let me take a sip off his Bloody Mary (which comes with a small beer chaser) and I have to say I thought it was pretty damn good. They garnish it with a dice of peppers and zucchini chips and it was pretty tasty. I'll have to get this next time when I come back...oh and I will be back.

    Now, I was going to give this 3 1/2 stars b/c while I LOVED that bacon and enjoyed everything else we had...there was this loooooong stretch of time that we had to wait for food to come out. They did bring out a couple items for us to nosh on while the rest of our order was being cooked but we all felt the amount of time we had to wait for the rest of our order was WAY too long. If they had brought out our frites at some point during this long time stretch...it would have been better. I just cannot bring my to give this less than 4 stars because the bacon really was that good imo.

    In closing, the Publican is a pork lover's dream come true. Order the bacon (I cannot emphasize this enough), give the Bloody Marys a whirl (even better with a side of pork rinds) and don't forget to pay a visit to the bathroom to see what all the hub bub is about.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/5/2009

    Hm... I don't think I can add much to the countless 5-star reviews here but here's my two cents.

    Best. Fries. Ever. Frites with organic egg on top. I know. It sounds like heart attack waiting to happen but it's seriously good. So good, my friend asked the waitress how they are made and the waitress screamed "WITH ANIMAL FAT"  We didn't know what to think about that... anyway...

    Basque stew. Broth is amazing... light, savory, seafoody....mmmmm..... Just order it and you'll be happy. The toasted bread they give you is magical by itself but with the stew... I was left speechless.

    For some reason, I didn't enjoy the meat dishes that much. Usually I love encased meat of any form but not here. I'm sure others will vehemently disagree but oh well.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/20/2009

    finally made it here and overall liked it.

    you can tell they really take a lot of pride in everything they serve and do. the beer list is pretty awesome; a diverse menu at pretty decent prices. and the food was pretty good; interesting preparations and flavors that i was anxious to try out.

    out of everything i tried (pork rinds, frites, charcuterie, hamachi, suckling pig, artichoke, oysters, sweetbreads, boudin blanc) i thought everything was great but nothing quite blew me away. i definitely want to try out everything else though.

    the service was very friendly and helpful, proactive about educating us on some of the more unfamiliar items on the menu. the only knock is that we got our orders pretty sporadically; a few dishes at one time, a longer wait than wanted, then the rest of our plates. kinda screwed the flow a little bit, but easily overlooked

    ultimately, i'd definitely be happy to go back. at least to try absolutely everything else

  • 5.0 star rating
    3/11/2010

    This place needs another rave review like I need a hole in the head, but my experience was so good that I feel the need to write something.  

    First off, it's not often I can say that I've eaten the weight of a 16" softball in various meats, but this was one of those occasions - needless to say, I'm really glad I opted for a small salad and a two-mile run for lunch before coming here.  

    I arrived a little bit early, and was able to pick from their ample and very refined beer selection (I didn't catch a whiff of any other beverages being offered, though there appears to be a full bar) while I stood and read a magazine at one of their pub tables.  I have to admit I really appreciate the increasing respect that brew craft is being shown, with many restaurants listing their beers as they would their wines - really paying attention to quality and food pairing.  The Publican is definitely one of those places.  After the meal I was informed that there are also special price fixe meals where the chefs pair up with different domestic breweries to create specialty brew and meal combinations.

    After my party arrived, we got to sit at the end of one of the communal tables, which provided ample room for the feast which ensued.  We decided to have the sardines, the charcuterie plate, the shrimp, the bollito misto, the farm chicken, and the brussels sprouts.   Out of all these dishes, the only one I probably wouldn't repeat would be the chicken - not because it was anything less than delicious, but because I'm just not a massive fan of poultry - however, the summer sausage and frites that came on the side were amazing.  Highlights of the meal would include the brussels sprouts (wonderful), the frites (they absorbed all the taste of the chicken, but had a great underlying flavor of their own), the cotechino sausage in the misto (blew my mind, really - what a wonderful flavor combination), and the head cheese (ok, never had it before and always thought it looked nasty when I saw it in the deli - this was a far cry from the stuff grandpa ate, and totally delicious).
    I also want to draw special attention to the mustard that was included in the charcuterie plate - I was happy to learn that they're about 6 months from bottling and selling some of the sauces and mustards they make there.  If they offered the mustard I had tonight for sale, I would buy it in an instant and have it around for all the brats and goodies I grill in the warmer months.

    On to dessert.  We had the chocolate souffle and the creme brule.  My father in law wasn't a fan of the 'smoked' chocolate ice cream, but I thought it was great.  It is exactly what it tastes like - a sweet, smoky confection.  I can completely understand where he was coming from though - some people want their sweets sweet, and do not want to deal with other, unexpected, and even seemingly contradictory flavors coming in.  For my part, I really enjoyed the anise cookies that came with the creme brule, and the tiny personal pot of jasmine tea with the tea pearl blooming inside.

    Over all, this place had the entire package:  
    excellent selection of ingredients, from the beers, to the meats, to the garnishes.  
    Extremely professional and fast wait staff.  Our desserts took about five minutes longer than one would expect them to, and our waiter came out before they had even arrived to say they would be comped (they literally showed up 30 seconds later).
    Unique venue - possibly the coolest bathrooms I've been in in a while, and I am a huge fan of the beer hall-style seating and the mini 'room' booths (which my husband said were supposed to mimic pig pens, in keeping with the pork theme.

    I would absolutely go here again, though probably not for a while, out of respect for my wallet and my arteries.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/15/2010

    One of the better dining experiences I've ever had.

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/17/2010

    One of my favorite restaurants in the city of all-time!  Been there twice for dinner and once for brunch.  Nothing I've ingested has been less than spectacular, including their beer.  I would suggest the Publican to anyone and it's definitely worth the bill!

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/8/2009

    the beer list is amazing, as were the oysters. The service could have been more relaxed - I was escorted to the waterclosets, which was just strange. And those chairs! Sure they look cool all lined up, but try sitting in one of those things for more than an hour.

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/11/2009

    My wife and I went here on a Friday night.  We planned on ordering tons of food because the menu is fairly broad and unique - some people drink, but we like to eat.  The waiter cut us off and told us we ordered too much food.  A first!  We ended up talking him into letting us order in courses, how nice of him.  All is well though because we were put at a tiny little table by the door even though we had really early reservations and the place was almost empty when we got started.  The waiter was very helpful with the menu and pretty friendly, but more or less disappeared when the place filled up.  They are definitely understaffed for a Friday night.  $180 bucks for two people should mean not having to wait an hour after you are done eating to cash out and leave.
    We had:
    White Anchovies
    Sardines
    Halibut Crudo
    Taste of Hams
    Charcuterie Plate (pork pie, sausage, head cheese, duck and fois gras terrine, pickles, and 2 mustards)
    Beef Carpaccio
    Boudin Blanc
    Milk Chocolate Cremeaux w/lavender short bread and prunes

    The fish dishes were all brilliant.  It is nice to see oily little fish on a menu and prepared with reverence.  I can't pick a favorite.  If I go back, this would be all that I ordered - plus maybe a few more fish dishes.
    The hams were really nice and great with goat butter.  The country ham reminded me of the many chipped ham sandwiches of my youth - a great memory to visit.
    The Charcuterie plate was more of my wife's idea.  She loved the head cheese.  The sausage was pretty good, but I would pass on this in the future.
    Beef carpaccio was so-so.  It was pounded down pretty unevenly and some of it was too thick.  The flavor was balanced, but I feel like throwing onion rings on top is cheating.
    Boudin Blanc - I was stuffed by this point in the meal, so I only ate a couple bites. This was the most dramatic looking of everything they brought out.  It had a nice pear salad and some bunches of raisons still on the vine, which looked great and were very tasty.
    The cremeaux dessert was very nice.  It was much thicker than I expected and the prunes were amazing. I couldn't really taste lavender in the shortbread, which was just a small little wafer.

    The décor is overly beige, but I love the long tables and the huge paintings of pigs on the wall, a fitting tribute to a delicious beast.  

    Overall I have to give Publican three stars.  The food is rustic delicious on most accounts, but not a good value when the service is taken into consideration.  I would suggest that they maybe ditch the monochromatic walls, probably reconsider the seating, and definitely bring in some more waiters on the weekends.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/22/2009

    During date day with the hubby one Saturday afternoon (08/22), we decided to stop by Publican for a mid-afternoon "snack". We called as we were on our way to ask if we needed a reservation (4pm), and were told that the reservations will full, but we could come by and they'd seat us as soon as possible. Ok fine. The hubby and I were desperate to try the spicy pork rinds, so we thought we'd wait however long we needed to.
    Well, upon arriving, the place was empty. Only a few seats at the bar taken and one other table. So much for reservations huh!
    Anyhow, decor first: obviously the Publican is going for a theme... that theme being a literal farm/pig pen. They even have "booths" that have pig pen doors to get in and out! Interesting, and unique. I like.
    Since we were too early for the dinner menu, we were given the limited afternoon menu, which was just fine. They have an extensive beer menu - we asked our server for suggestions, and were VERY happy with whatever it was he brought out for us (wheat for me, dark for the hubby).
    For our afternoon "snack", we ordered the spicy pork rinds, ham platter, half grilled chicken entree, and lamb pastrami sandwich. Let's start with the beloved pork rinds. They were the PERFECT snack to have with beers. They are cheesy, spicy, crackly, salty, porky deliciousness and were devoured quite quickly. Then came the ham platter... even included iberico ham. They definitely didn't skimp on the portion for this starter. There were 4 different types of hams, served with fresh slices of bread and butter (that had sea salt sprinkled on top). Mmmm. I thought I was in Spain.
    Then came our "entrees". The chicken dish was ok. It was roasted chicken and merguez sausage. The sausage was awesome, the chicken... I could make it at home... but good nonetheless. Also, the lamb pastrami sandwich. Can I just say that this may be one of the BEST SANDWICHES EVER!?  It was an upscale version of a bahn mi sandwich, packed with pastrami, pickled veggies, cilantro, mint, spicy mayo...  It had the perfect amount of each ingredient, and each flavor profile could be tasted individually and altogether. Truly, an absolutely delicious sandwich!
    So... if you have yet to try out Publican, I highly recommend stopping by during the early evening. Order a beer or two (or three), get the spicy pork rinds, ham platter and lamb pastrami sandwich and indulge in deliciousness for an hour or so. :)

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/3/2010

    Food is tremendous. Beer is tremendous. My gf didn't care for the seating style even though she likes communal tables generally. I highly recommend the coffee beer with the pork belly.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/23/2012

    Excellent beer list and the quality of the food was excellent.  I debated whether or not to give 3 stars due to the small portions and high cost relative to similar restaurants but the pineapple tart with basil ice cream we had for dessert tipped the scales in the Publican's favor.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/21/2012

    One of my favorite places for brunch! Great mimosas.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/18/2009

    I've been for dinner and brunch and I'm (un)officially obsessed. That's all.

  • 2.0 star rating
    12/30/2010

    After dining at this restaurant, I came away with one  conclusion: don't believe in the hype.  Went there on my 32nd birthday, and after spending over 100 bucks on the dinner, we came away disappointed.  The ambiance was great, very trendy both in location and setting.   Loved the bathroom set up, the fountain hand wash sink was awesome!  The wait staff was friendly and they were , really knowledgable about their beer menu which could be overwhelming.  If you ever want to drink a 70 dollar botthle of beer, the publican is the place to do it.  

    The food was good but unspetacular.  serrano ham and peasant bread was ok, but the ham was entirely too salty, they did give you quite a lot of ham, but with only two pieces of bread, the ham was too much to consume, we asked for more bread but it was delivered too slow.  eating the ham turned from enjoyment to suffering pretty quickly,

    The mussels were good, but not great, but it was the best dish of the night.

    The main dish, the roasted pork belly, the dish that Anthony Bourdain and other national celebrity chefs raved about was probably the most disappointing dish of the night, it was fatty, which was expected for the cut of the meat, but they managed to over cooked the meat and left the meat tough at the same time.  Chewing the tough fat was just a textual disaster.  I actually took the meat home, sliced it thin the next day and stir fry with scallions and ginger, and it turned out pretty good.  

    the side dish the cauliflower au-gratin was great, best 8 dollars ever spent.  

    Overall, the service was decent, but the food was left a lot to be desired, i don't know if the chef just had a bad night, but with the pricey menu, it will take a long time for me to regain the confidence to give it another try.

  • 2.0 star rating
    7/7/2009

    Your money would be better spent somewhere else.

    None of the dishes I had were excellent and I would say that 2 out of the 5 that I shared that night were borderline unpalatable.  The potted rillette was the standout dish.  But nothing else was working the night I went.  Avoid the salads, the skirt steak and the sardine dish.  All very, very bad.  There must be better dishes (I would imagine their charcuterie and the seafood stew) but the recommendations from our waitress were pretty bad.  The fries with egg was okay but they should leave the egg a lot runnier so it mixes in with the fries.

    I wouldn't recomment the publican but if you go try to scour review for the must have dishes as I can't say any were all that special.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/14/2010

    This place is really cool. When we arrived the place was packed. They guided us to the bar area where we had a cheese board and a meat platter. They where really nice, let us take are time even tho it was a busy night. Great place, really nice people, and amazing food.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/25/2010

    This place is all about Pork, and I'm OK with that, but yet their black bass was deliciously done with potbelly oil and asparagus, we also had pork with homemade sausages that were the best part of the dinner. It was also a good value, and more affordable than the other Restaurants from this chain, (Blackbird and Avec), but it was also more casual. They have a great variety of wines, and the service was good.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/23/2009

    In my Yelp hiatus, I seemed to have forgotten to rave about one of my new fave restaurants.  Service is top notch.  My absolute favorite thing to order for dinner is the Basque stew.  Do it!  Not one person I have had the pleasure of sharing this with has complained.  I still think about how great it is to this day!  Mind you, if you dislike seafood, this is definitely not for you.  I'm not really a huge beer drinker, but they have a great selection.  I am also a huge fan of the aesthetics, clean and simple yet elegant.

  • 1.0 star rating
    8/26/2012

    Going out to dinner should be a special occasion. When I spend money to eat in a restaurant, I wish to feel like a welcomed guest, rather than a trespasser.  When we arrived at The Publican, at about 5:45 on a Saturday evening, the establishment was less than half full.  When we asked for a table outside, the hostess rudely asked us whether we just were here for appetizers.  What a bizarre questions.  I was a bit flabbergasted at the question--and did not know how to respond, as we had been wanting to eat there for a while   As far as I am concerned, it is none of the hostess' business what I intend to order, as I don't know until I look at the menu-which is what my husband said.  Instead of seating us and giving us a menu, she shoved menus into our hands as if we were to decide to order right then and there.  At this point we should have walked out.  But my husband told the hostess we were here for dinner and could we please have a table outside.  We were taken outside, where there were approximately 12 tables, with only two full.  We asked if we could be seated out of the sun, were led to a table in full sun.  When we suggested that we have one of the numerous empty tables in the shade, she said no.  At that point we left.  Maybe it is because my husband and I both have white hair.  Maybe it is because she didn't like the color of my blouse.  I have no idea.  I will never go back there, and no matter how good the reviews are of the food, I would not recommend this establishment to anyone.

  • 1.0 star rating
    10/3/2010

    One star since my wife loved here Weisswurst brunch. I got the Chorizo with eggs for brunch.

    What a waste of money - the tiniest portions, inhale and it's gone.

    The manager apologized strongly, but why not just serve the right meal at the right portion at the right price the first time.

    it reminds me of a big munich beer hall - no atmosphere, not good for any type of dates but definitely the beer crowd (the ones who have enough cash to blow) that likes to yell over the other voices.

    Not a pick.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/27/2010

    I love the Publican. I love the Publican because it has amazing food: the potted rillettes, the whole chicken, the fries with egg, and the dover sole are some of my favorites. I love the Publican because it has amazing beer ... *and* it has a beer sommelier ... *and* it seems like everyone on the staff knows beer better than anyone anywhere. (But don't take my word for it--go in, tell them what you like in a beer, and they *will* find something that's the best beer you ever had.) I love the Publican because the staff is over-the-top helpful. Besides those amazing beer powers I mentioned, they know the dishes better than I know my own refrigerator, they are never-ending cheerful, and they make me feel welcome every freakin' time I come in. I love the Publican!

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/21/2010

    Beautifully designed interior and great original dishes.  Tucked away in Fulton Market.  Best early on a Sunday when the truck traffic is non-existent.  Would like to go back at night sometime to check out the dynamics of the set-up

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/3/2010

    We had dinner with some friends who are regulars, so that might have made it even more awesome, but the place has got it going on.  Some of the highlights were the sweetbreads, frites with duck egg, pork rinds. The server was super attentive and really well informed. What a fun great spot .

  • 2.0 star rating
    8/11/2011

    I made my way to The Publican on August 10th for two reasons: 1. Awesome chef Daniel Klein was the featured guest chef documenting the experience for his The Perennial Plate series and 2.The Publican was raved about on Check Please. I truly enjoyed the selections from Daniel Klein. I never thought I would be able to say that I enjoyed eating duck heart! Despite these positive highlights, I will not return to The Publican because the service my four dining companions and I received was awful. Our waiter was a Paul Bunyan/ Noah Wiley lookalike named Andrew who was inattentive and acted as if he would rather not be bothered with us. My friend requested bread immediately after we were seated. When it did not arrive, she signaled him from across the room as he chatted away with another server. Andrew raised his index finger to her as if to imply "how dare you interrupt my conversation." To make matters worse, my dinner entree did not arrive until after everyone else in my party had completed their meals. For the price point, notable executive chef and hipster buzz, I truly expected more and was sadly disappointed. I would only return to The Publican if Daniel Klein and Mirra Fine from The Perennial Plate were there.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

Recommended Reviews

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  • 1.0 star rating
    9/7/2009

    One star for the beers. The food was absolutely DISGUSTING!!! Even if I ate pork (my fucking dumbass date, who is a surgeon, no less, knows I don't consume filthy swine), I would never waste a dime here.
    The salad was drenched in oil. The shrimp sausage made me puke a little in my mouth. It had the consistency of scrambled eggs, but flavor of seafood?!? Hall of Shame, ultimate barfable dish.

    Service was friendly & attentive. Place is LOUD. Small tables acceptable, but the center of the restaurant is stand-up "cocktail" tables?! Where the hell are we...the Renaissance Festival?! Utterly stupid idea.

    WORST MEAL OF MY LIFE. I went to Jewell on the way home for a box of cereal & a bag of frozen broccoli.

  • 2.0 star rating
    8/18/2009

    Went there for my boyfriend's bday, and we were both sorely dissappointed.  My boyfriend is a serious foodie, and I thought for his birthday he'd love to hit up this hot new spot I have heard so much about.  What's more is he loves his beer, and after looking at the menu, I thought this would be the perfect place to take him.

    I was dissappointed, but I was more dissappointed that he was, too.  The frites with egg were great, and he enjoyed the duck liver and hearts.  I thought they were too chewy and rubber-like, but the pancetta was a nice touch.  We both agreed the chicken and potee were lackluster.  The chicken was dry and the spice mixture didn't seem ground breaking.  In fact, it tasted like something I could have done on my grill.  The summer sausage that accompanied it was salty and tasted like anything you can get in a Hickory Farms gift basket.  The potee lacked any real memorable flavor besides salt.  The waiter accidentally brought us an order of beets and ricotta, but the beets and the ricotta were the same mushy texture, I'm not sure why the were chosen as compliments.

    The beer selection did hit the mark, if it was overpriced.  We wanted to try some cheese and or ham, but my boyfriend, who works as a manager at a spirits store that has an extensive gourmet grocery, refused to allow me to spend that kind of marked up price for things that are available at the store for a much more reasonable price.

    Our waiter was knowledgeable, but pretentious.  Also, service was SO slow.  We had a decent wait between courses, and had to wait an extremely long time for our bill.  I was shocked since the staff seemed to equal to the number of patrons.  Speaking of the other patrons, it was so loud and was a little too trendy for my taste.  As soon as I see anyone in an Ed Hardy shirt and a blazer, I know I'm out of my element.

    I was shocked when our bill came, because it wasn't as expensive as I anticipated, and we did get a lot of food.  I wish I would've spent that money elsewhere, still.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/30/2012

    This was our second visit.  It was wonderful.  I will say that my reading the menu there is very little that entices me to order. Nevertheless, once I have crossed that hurdle, and ordered the food is phenomenal.  The smoked artic char is divine, the brussel spouts salad wonderful, the ribs terrific...Great concept, wonderful meal- terrific service- front desk eh... needs some coaching

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/5/2012

    went to publican visiting from nyc for st pattys day. one of the better brunches i have had, even fighting sunday pre-flight anxiety was able to enjoy top 5 bloody mary of life that was accompanied with a tasting glass full of a fine ipa. one thing that amazed me was the shear space of the publican. large, open and high celings made this place stand out to me as this same atmosphere would be extremely difficult to replicate in ny. get the bacon and the egg fries, unique food served at large wooden tables like a mead hall. however, i would say probably not the best dinner place.

  • 2.0 star rating
    2/24/2012

    This restaurant came highly recommended; however, I was not that impressed.  We had 7:30 reservations on a Tuesday.  I was torn between the halibut and the sable fish.  However, my decision was made for me because they were out of both items.  My husband and I shared the goose breast salad.  I did not like the goose breast at all.  It was chewy and gamey.  Then we had the fish stew, which was pretty good.  However, the side of toasted bread served with it was hard as a rock and tasted burnt. We then shared the fried smelt.  This was a very heavy dish- fried cheese curds, fried smelt, and fried lemon slices.  It was served over some greens with a tartar type sauce.  All the individual components were tasty, but when combined on one plate it made for a very heavy, greasy dish.  The fried lemon slices were actually my favorite part of our entire meal.  They were delicious. My husband had a short rib, which he said was good.  For desert we shared the mascarpone ice cream, which was heavenly.  But I wish we got more than two tablespoons of it, because that's about what the portion size looked like.  As for service, it was hard to get our servers attention, and food items took a long time to get to the table.

    Overall there were some good aspects to our experience, and some misses.  I was extremely disappointed that they were out of their two main fish options so early, and on a weeknight (I was not interested in the $41 fish option that was available).  Service was average at best.  And, for $7 we got two tablespoons of ice cream, and it didn't have any of the accompaniments it was supposed to have.  I ended up with a terrible stomach ache after the meal, and felt ill for the rest of the evening.

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/6/2009

    Just doing my part to beat the horse while it's hot at Publican.

    What works:

    The communal tables: Very cool, made me feel like I was eating in the Hogwartz dining hall.
    The decor: Love the multiple portraits of hogs, ranging from dark and shadowy to simply fat pigs.
    The door staff: The greeter was very nice to my friend.  When asked about his favorites, he explained how the menu was set up to range from smaller portions (towards the top) to larger entrees (towards the bottom) in each category, although it took some pressing to move beyond "everything here is good" and get his favs.
    The wait staff: Some of the staff was really polite and very nice, wanted to hear that we had enjoyed our meal, even saying goodbye as they went off-shift
    The pork belly: Fatty, fatty! Scrumptious.
    The gem salad: Eating the lettuce made me think "so fresh, so clean" with each bite.
    The mussels: might have been the best value of anything I ate at Publican, came in a bowl the size of a colander, with lots of buttery juice, great with the baguette it comes with

    What doesn't work:

    The communal tables: We went at 1045p and even with the restaurant emptying out, I couldn't hear my dinner mates sitting across the table
    The wait staff: Our server looked ludicrous when we asked to share 1 beer among 3 ppl.  I ate with 2 girls who didn't want to drink entire beers and wanted essentially flights, so we were planning to order more than 1, but I had gotten mixed up...beers on the menu ranged  from 11.2 oz to 750ml and up, I thought we had ordered a 500ml bottle rather than the 11.2oz.  Regardless, he looked mad for his tips.  Bitter asshole.  I ordered more later out of thrist, but I may have ordered none just to spite the bastard.

    Mixed review:

    Beer selection: It's vast, but it's expensive.  I understand that Publican is a step up from Beer Bistro and even Hopleaf, but some of the prices were just really too much.  $15+ for a single beer, really?
    The potee:  For the price, really not worth it relative to the pork belly.  The veal was a nice smoky flavor, but it was a little hard.  The pork tenderloin was good, but the sausage was overly salty - maybe should have expected this, or maybe I'm just not a sausage connoisseur but I didn't feel like there was that much difference b/w that and kielbasa.

    Overall, probably 4 stars, but minus 1 star for the look our waiter gave me for ordering 1 beer (initially).

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/22/2009

    Our table for four was constantly covered with a variety of seafood, red meat, and vegetable dishes.  Every single item was great.  The celery salad with tuna was especially tasty.  The food gets the highest marks, and the service was solid.  The only thing we didn't like was being penned into our table with awkward swinging doors.  It felt too much like we were the pigs in the paintings on the wall waiting for slaughter.

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/27/2009

    I am both sad and embarrassed that I didn't like this restaurant.  GOSH!  First off, the lighting isn't as bad as Avec. at all.  However, I will agree with the other Yelpers and say it was a bit loud.  Onto the fare.

    We got the spicy pork rinds, which I was actually pretty excited to try.  Not good!  man, oh man. But it's a pork rind, so what did I expect? I guess I just expected the kind with a layer of fat on it so that it's a little more than just a puffy weightless piece of pork.
    Our party also got 2 dozen oysters, which came from various locations such as Chesapeake Bay and Washington State.  There were pretty quick w/ the spout-off of oysters so we really didn't know which was from where.  In all fairness, I can't judge my visit on the oysters bc I don't prefer them. I did have two but my mind wasn't changed as a result.
    Ham chop... I feel like it tasted like oysters.  
    Farm chicken smelled amazingly seasoned. Tasted it...salty as hell.  

    Skate wing came w/ slightly pickled cucumbers (but not quite pickles) and snow pods in a light yogurt type dressing.  Honestly, the tartness of the cucumbers dominated that dish.

    We had 2 servers that I saw.  Our main guy wasn't the best.  With such an extensive beer list, I told him I'd like a beer that didn't have too much bite and was a bit on the sweeter side.  He whisked away, saying he had something in mind but wasn't sure they had any left.  He came back and dropped in front of me and took off. Busy or not...tell me what  you gave me since I'll be paying for it, PLEASE! This guy was MIA for a while after taking half of our table's order. I cannot base my review on this less than mediocre server,  but I can think less of the establishment for hiring/not properly training someone like him. My only hope is he is reprimanded and is a bit more attentive. Table of 10, at 10 pm...he's gonna get paid top dollar, so he'd better work for it.  
    Our other server was quite jolly and had the list of oysters well rehearsed. The hostesses were friendly and offered to take our coats; showed us to our table even though our whole party hadn't arrived.

    Definitely am going to come back for brunch. And if it's dinner, I'm definitely going to order some beef!

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/28/2010
    3 check-ins

    This place will not disappoint. Service is great, Food is Delicious. Atmosphere is warm. In my opinion one of the best restaurants Chicago has.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/25/2010

    Fantastic all around. Staff will go out of their way to keep you coming back.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/16/2010 Updated review

    i liked the publican much more on my second visit.  the food was great. i think we must have ordered more reasonably because i spent half what i did the first time i went. the service was great this time and i didn't pay an arm and a leg for beer. big improvement!

    must try: oyster sampler, frites, beets, sweetbreads

    3.0 star rating
    2/7/2009 Previous review
    i thought that perhaps people were being a little too harsh on the publican when i saw that it only… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    8/25/2010

    This is one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. A little expensive, so I have to save it for special occasions. They specialize in fresh seafood (flown in daily) and delicious pork dishes. I always order their fresh warm pork rinds and one of their jamon serrano selections. Their basque stew is wonderful on a cold day, and their sweet bread is the best I've ever tasted. The wait staff is knowledgeable, and can always recommend a great beer pairing. It's always busy, so a reservation is essential. You might find space at the bar, if you're lucky.

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/22/2012

    On our recent visit to Chicago, we were looking for something fresh and fun, just off the beaten path.  This restaurant seemed to fit the bill, so we made a reservation for 2 through Open Table, which was convenient.  The location is easy to reach by bus and on foot, just west of the loop across the river.  The restaurant itself was very nice and trendy.  The communal restrooms and quirky lighting were unique and added to the experience.  But I must say that we were not overly impressed with the service or our meal.  We settled on 4 dishes and only 2 of them were winners.  The steak tartare was delicous, although I was surprised it wasn't served with bread or crackers on which to spread the meat.  Just eating it off the fork was a little odd to me.  The parsnips were also quite tastey - nice flavors of the roasted parsnips, sweet dates, and crunchy cashews went well together.  The ribs were our biggest disappointment.  At $26ish dollars for this dish, we expected a more substantial serving.  We were served TWO ribs, of which had maybe 6 bites of meat once you cut around the bone and trimmed off the excessive amount of fat.  I wasn't going to say anything at first, but then my boyfriend looked at me with disappointment, and we agreed that was a bad order.  We were also disppointed our server did not ask if we wanted another round of beer before clearing our empty glasses after only just beginning the second dish.  We were also not offerred dessert.  After spending about $80 on dinner for two, we left in search of a nice frozen yogurt establishment.

  • 3.0 star rating
    6/18/2010

    The Publican was a great experience, but I won't be returning. Although they were super accommodating with my 3 phone calls adding more people to my reservation (5 people, 8pm on a Weds) we ended up waiting over 30 minutes for a table. Our server was great and very knowledgeable. However, I just cannot justify paying so much for such small portions of food. Yes, the food tasted great, but over 20 bucks for 4 thin strips of steak? Fourteen bucks for some strips of lox? Perhaps I don't have a fine enough palette, and I know most of their food is imported, but still. Seemed overpriced. Overall it was a good time, and the environment was fun and lively, but I just can't afford to spend a hundred bucks on appetizers!

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/19/2010

    1st time visit was great. All the food was excellent, but the spinach salad with duck hearts was fantastic. Carnivore heaven!

  • 1.0 star rating
    4/3/2009

    The place is laughable, the bill isn't.
    Snarky waitstaff-and by waitstaff I mean the FIVE different people that came by with food: one brought beer, one explained the menu, one brought the food, one brought the desert, the check  BUT THE SERVICE SUCKED.  The only people working hard there are the busboys.

    The food sucked.  Overly salted.  If you like overly salted, fatty food-this is your place.  The desert was a dry, stale 'cherry' brownie with a teaspoon of ice cream.

    What is the big deal?  The beer?  The noise?  The posers?  The snotty hostess-bots in black that ignore you when you walk in?

    Yucky.  Icky.  Expensive.  NOT relazing.  Tries to hard to be cool making i tres uncool.  I hope they go out of business.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/27/2009

    Awesome interior.  Loved the set up of the restaurant.. made me feel like I was attending some kind of feast.  I heard a lot of amazing things about this places.. but unfortunately, I don't think I ordered the right things on the menu.  The steak tartare was amazing!! like how it had pickles mixed into it that gave it a little sour kick to it.  The oysters were worth paying 6 dollars each for!! If you are a Vodka martini drinker.. DO NOT order a vodka martini here.. I don't know what kind of vodka they use but I had the worst headache after having just 1!  Although this experience wasn't the greatest.. I would definitely go back to try the RIGHT things on the menu.

  • 3.0 star rating
    6/19/2009

    The Publican is an upscale version of the Hopleaf.  It's in the warehouse district and the atmosphere and layout of the place is pretty cool.  It's definitely the place to go for the hip young professionals.  They have a ginormous list of great imported beers, and our waiter was really knowledgeable about every single choice.  I enjoyed every beer I had.  This place is really about the beers and the food is just a compliment to it, in my opinion.  We were there for good three hours just drinking, eating, and having a great time.  The food is eaten in family style and they bring it out essentially one at a time, so you have plenty of time to drink and enjoy your company.  It was a lot of fun.

    The reason I don't give this place more stars is because I was not a fan of the food. It was too salty for my taste.  I think the saltiness of the food is suppose to compliment the many beer choices, but for me, oversalting food is a cardinal sin.  I woke up the next morning feeling like crap and my face twice its normal size.  Besides the saltiness, the food was just okay, nothing I would necessary crave again, especially because the prices will add up after a night of drinking ten dollar beers.  Here's what we tried:

    1. Frits with egg.  If you're going to order the fries, do not skip the egg, it is worth the extra two dollars.  They crisp the fries and it's a perfect compliment to the egg.  This was one of my fave.
    2. The trio of hams.  This was a skip!  For twenty bucks, it was not worth it and we had ordered too much food anyway.  The Iowa ham had a horrible after taste and the whole dish could have been skipped.
    3. The 18 ounce sea bass! This was my favorite. I thought the fish was awesome, and also loved the fried prosciutto right on top.  My dinner mates weren't as into this one, but I thought it was a really clean and fresh sea bass.
    4. Deep fried duck heart.  This was actually pretty good.. it's deep fried, so it tastes like anything else that would be deep fried.  It was a nice small appetizer to start, but nothing spectacular.
    5. The pork medley: This was probably the more popular one at the table.  It's a tenderloin, pork shoulder, and pork sausage.  The sausage was really delicious with a great crisp.  I thought the pork shoulder was too fatty tasting and the tenderloin was overcooked, but I am picky about my pork.  My tablemates loved the pork shoulder.

    All in all, it was a pretty good experienced, but I think food could have been better.  For the price you drop, it wasn't enough for me to give it a four, especially in light of the over-saltiness.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/1/2010

    Meats, meats and meats (Also some vegetables).  I'd highly recommend the pork belly, seeing as how I almost ordered it twice (Once for dinner, again for dessert).

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/10/2010

    this place is fab. any oysters, fish, pork get it all.  interesting combos.  Expensive but worth the money all the way.  
    One of my fav. brunch spots!  reg coffee as good as the french press.  nice little salad greens.  I had some amazing bacon and red wine poached eggs on my last visit.  Impressive
    staff: I heart the beer Manager,  I needed a specific glass for a beer shoot I was working on.  he borrowed me two! now thats great customer service
    Also on open table which I love

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/1/2010

    By some miracle, there were two seats open at the bar when we showed up at 7:30 on a Saturday night (no reservations, of course). Which led to one of the more enjoyable dining experiences I've had in Chicago. The ambience, food, and service are all in perfect balance. I think our server must have had ESP, because she showed up at the exact moment I was thinking, "Hm, I think I'll order another beer." And when I inquired about what looked liked shot glasses of milk, the bartender not only explained what it was (creamy limoncello), but poured us a couple of samples.

    And then, of course, there's the food, which is rustic and satisfying yet sophisticated. I know the Publican is famous for its treatment of pork, and all the parts of pig we dined on that night were delicious (I had no idea that pork ears could be so delicious as a salad garnish), but even the accompaniments -- the artichokes in broth with the pork belly, the spicy rapini with the country rib -- were equally revelatory. The only thing that we weren't impressed by were the fries. I think they need to steal the Hopleaf's, and then this place would be perfection.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/5/2009

    beer priced like fine wine
    fine fish, get the pork trio
    warm weird space but fun

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/16/2010

    food:  very good, smaller portions
    drinks:  very VERY good
    service:  very good, attentive
    decor:  different, in a good way (love the dysons!)

    would come again: yes
    would take guests:  maybe
    why maybe?  ambient noise, much too loud  O_o

  • 3.0 star rating
    10/11/2009

    Outstanding food!  Seriously!  Dining out, the primary focus is the FOOD!  The Publican delivers!  However, the service is sub-par at best, and the atmosphere is so loud, don't expect to have any type of dialogue with your guests.  And, it would be nice if they could invest $300 or $400 on proper meat knives for table service.  Their menu's focus is MEAT!

  • 2.0 star rating
    7/12/2009

    After a dinner out, my family and I headed over to Publican to get a drink.  This is not the place to grab a drink.  Their bar area is more like a waiting area for your dinner table.  No chairs (maybe a few at a counter) -- you stand at these taller tables.  

    Beer selection is great (though really expensive).  Some beers on the menu were $50.  We couldn't believe it!

    And it is incredibly LOUD.  We were screaming to each other in here.  The interior is cool, but really needs some sort of noise deafening equipment on the ceiling or something.  What's the point of going out with friends/family if you can't hear anything they are saying.  

    Not sure I will come back for dinner.  I wasn't sure that the atmosphere was something I'd be excited to come back for.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/7/2011

    This review is for how exceptionally well they handled a vegetarian when it was a pre fixe menu on one of the busiest nights of the year!

    I went to the Publican for New Year's Eve dinner with some friends. It was a pre fixe menu, which can be a scarey thought for a vegetarian! However, we told them when we made the reservation that there was a vegetarian in the group, and they were so accomodating! It was truly excellent. They made a vegetarian option for each course, and they were all delicious! The server was pleasant, welcoming, and acted like it was no problem at all to make everything completely vegetarian. She even asked whether a little anchovies in the pasta sauce were a problem, which they were, so they made me a separate (delicious!) creme fraiche sauce, completely vegetarian. All of the vegetarian dishes reflected the regular meaty dishes, which my friends said were excellent. The last course was a pork loin with white beans and kale, and the vegetarian option was a white bean and kale stew served over a slightly grilled piece of garlic french bread, The bread had a crisper exterior, but was soaked in the stew, pointing out a similar texture to that of the meat. Obviously, eating a stew with French bread is not eating a big chunk of pork, nor should it be. But the chef thought about particular characteristics of each dish, and made something tasty and totally within my dietary restrictions. The service was perfect, the food was delicious, they were awesome at handling fancy food for a vegetarian!

    If you are a vegetarian, or have any kind of dietary restriction, just let them know and they will handle it beautifully! It's so great to eat out at a nice restaurant and not be relegated to eating a salad or plain, steamed vegetables while everyone else gets great, well-thought out meals.

  • 1.0 star rating
    3/3/2011

    I'm still trying to figure out Publican.  I went there with my wife tonight, thinking we could grab a beer (no food).  We walked in and headed towards the main room and the hostess came after us, asking, "Can I HELP you?".  No problem with that, I just said we were hoping to have a beer.  She said, "You can have one at the stand-up bar" and walked away.  Not having heard of a "stand-up" bar before, we headed into the main room looking for the bar.   There were a few circular tables in the middle of the room, surrounded by many sit-down tables, and a "bar" area where it looked as though each couple seats had their own beer tap, although the beer taps weren't labeled.  All seats were taken.  We stood at the circular tables in the middle for a few minutes while wait-staff walked by us, saying nothing.  I walked over to the people seated by the taps and tried to get the attention of the bar staff so I could get a beer, but the 1 guy attending to the seated people there just looked at us and looked away.  It was very strange - SO many staff, all very busily walking around, but no one noticing the 2 people standing in the middle of the room in their coats looking around for help.  It definitely wasn't crowded - there were 2 girls at another circular table, and a bunch of guys at another.  There were several unoccupied tables.  I've been to just about every River North, West Loop, Bucktown, etc. bar there is, but I've never been that clueless as to what I should do to get a beer in my life.  In the end we left, concluding it's not a "grab a beer" type of place, it's a sit down and have beer and food type of place.... at least on a Thursday night.  On weekends it's probably a different story.  My advice to Publican?  Have your wait-staff open their eyes and help people out, and don't don't use phrases like "stand-up bar" when you obviously don't have a place to stand and order beers from.  From now on it's Beer Bistro, Market, or HayMarket.  Looks great though!

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/2/2009
    Listed in Top Restaurants

    AH-MAZE-ING.
    So I heard about this place well after it opened and in that short time span have been dying to try it...rather begging my husband to tag along with me.  We called earlier in the day to find out if we could make a reservation and without luck we decided to walk-in and bear the promised long wait.  We didn't actually make it in until closer to 9 and we had just enough time to order a glass of wine and a beer from their amazing list (most of the wines I had never heard of and the beer list had about 60 to choose from - 5 of which I could possibly pronounce) before we were sat.  The room is comprised of 2 communal dining tables and about 10 2-tops and completely enclosed barn door booths.  We sat in the middle of a communal table and while it was extremely loud, we didn't mind the commotion of everyone else's meals going on around us and it gave us the opportunity to preview what we wanted.  We had the selection of hams as an appetizer which included a thinly sliced version from Tennessee that was the equivalent of butter.  Blake had the pork belly which was beyond words - even for him- which says YOU HAVE TO ORDER THIS.  I had the mussels which was served in the all clad copper pot of butter, beer, and leeks that it was simmered in and came with a warm loaf of french bread wrapped in brown paper bag.  I barely left a crumb or a drop...and that included the fries cooked with egg and served with garlic aioli and the fresh ricotta we had on the side.  I could have passed on the waffle we had for dessert, but I was in such a euphoric state that it didn't matter.  I will be going back again...and again...and again.

  • 2.0 star rating
    12/18/2011

    Brunch only review. My girlfriend and I went today for the brunch. We sat down, ordered some Mimosas and looked at the menu. After struggling to find something appealing, we both decided to finish the Mimosas and go somewhere else. $18 for two Mimosas and a coffee. Nothing on the menu was particularly appealing and it was all overpriced. Every time I would see something that looked moderately interesting like the pork shank, it would promptly be ruined to my tastes by the inclusion of something like kale or turnips. I suppose this is fabulous for people who really want to be adventurous, but for my tastes it was a disaster. My girlfriend completely agreed. Frankly, not only was the menu unappealing, but the Mimosas at $7 a piece were tiny and not that good. Be warned, I had predicated my visit upon viewing a previous menu that had many things that looked great like the smoked fish with bacon truffle. That sounds cool and different. Sorry, but nothing on the menu now is remotely like that. Everything was ruined by what appeared to be my mother when I was five trying to sneak in things I hated at dinner. Here son, you can eat this awesome steak if you also eat these turnips and beats I snuck in. Um, no thanks. Especially for the premium price. Ended up going to Las Tablas and having an absolutely delicious dinner (brunch had passed us by) of empenadas and other wonderful dishes along with the best Sangria I have ever had. Spent $90 there. No problem spending the money, but make it worth it and don't gauge me.

  • 1.0 star rating
    9/1/2010

    Soooo disappointed!  Service was absolutely awful.  There were lots of servers and other waitstaff milling around, yet we had to ask repeatedly for simple things like a wine chiller, which arrived after the second bottle was half  gone, when we asked why the bread was burned we were told "oh my that is burned, we prefer it not to be"...duh so do we ....never replaced it.  I could go on and on, bottom line we wasted $300 and several hours.

  • 3.0 star rating
    6/22/2010

    I went to the Publican on Memorial Day....I had checked out the menu online beforehand and was excited to try the fish stew.  We ordered oysters first and those were great.  I ordered fish stew and then 25 minutes later,  around the time I should be getting my food, the waiter informed me that they were out of them. He brought the revised menu back and all of the seafood items were off the menu. I was totally disappointed. I mean extrememly disappointed as I don't really eat much meat. The waiter comped my beer and I was supposed to get excited about that. I would really hesitate to go back to this restaurant as a result of this experience. A restaurant of this caliber running out of main course entrees at 8:15? This just seems crazy and totally amateur.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/16/2010

    Spectacular service, GREAT food and lengthy selection of brews.  

    Very accommodative to our table of 4 reservations which they could not seat right away.  Took great care of us to show they appreciated our patience and kept us updated and happy with drinks.  

    Food was spectacular.  Pork belly--my fave--was on par with the best from here to Napa Valley.  

    Would def go again.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/5/2010
    Listed in Top Restaurants

    Paul Kahan is a pork GOD. If you go to Publican, try to only go with one or two other people so you can sit at the huge communal table rather than a private booth. The oysters are just so fresh and amazing. If you're new to good oysters, get the chef's selection. I prefer the West Coast oysters. They're smaller and sweeter than East Coast oysters which tend to be large and a little saltier. I wasn't really a fan of the pork rinds, but the bone marrow is truly incredible. The beer selection is excellent and the staff is pretty knowledgeable about them.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/13/2008

    Finally, after 2 years of name and location changes, Publican opens.  Well, it's worth the wait.  Beautiful space, all a glow with dozens of globe lights suspended from the tin ceiling. Communnal tables ring the pale hued room.  funky single serve bathrooms, 4 single and 3 suites, all big enough for horsing around with your date, or the cute stranger you sat next to at the "last supper" tables Anisha didn't quite get.

    if you like beer and you like to eat bits of pig, and i mean all the bits, you're in for a treat.  start with ham, go ahead and have all three shaved, well aged versions, they're all different and all yum, especially with tasty vermont goat butter and baker pamela of fox and obel's best in chicago peasant bread.  btw, it's a shame her bread isn't all over town and equally a shame that there isn't another baker in her class regionally.  back to the hog, moving forward from the hams, the potee is a mix of beer braised shank,  tenderest tenderloin and maybe something else mixed in with roast veggies.  still more piggy, chopped, mixed with other tasties and pressed into crazy good sausages on the charcuterie plate, which includes a head of the class head cheese.  sorry for that.  of course, i saved the best or last.  pork rillets, meaty, juicy, topped with some nice roast fruit and served again with that bread.  you can fault the publican only for not offering their house made picked veggies straight away with the rillet.  get them anyway, you're just silly not too.  

    as far as other hoofed delights go, they cow get's similar treatment, a creamy boudin blanc sausage with veal and chicken pleases all, the crispy sweatbread schnitzel inspires reorders, but the hand chopped to order waygu steak tartar is really why i stayed for 8 hours friday, had it 4 times (i will show the the receipt).  oysters, fish, chicken, plants and sweets round out the menu, all well done but you can guess where my favorites tread.

    the beer list is very deep, full of funky belgians, rare germans, and a tap list that would make hopleaf or map room blush.  they have draft cider from normandy that's fantastic, so much better than any of the fizzy yellow swill you've tasted before, and wine too.  

    so go for food and drink some beer or go for beer and eat some food, either way you'll be happy. just stay away from table nine, that's my seat.

  • 2.0 star rating
    1/8/2012

    Food is delicious (got the red wine poached egg), but service did NOT have it together.
    Went there for brunch with a group of 7, and it was packed when we went in. After we ordered we waited over 45 minutes for our food. There were other tables that were seated after us and got food before us. We all ordered from the brunch meal, no one got fish, so I don't understand what the wait was about. I was expecting the waitress or the manager to come over and tell us what was going on, but nothing. I'll give them this, the waitress did give us free desserts, but this was 45 minutes into our wait and after we expressed our concern. And no one refilled/offered a refill on our coffee, the menu said bottomless... What really annoyed me was that no one apologized for the long wait on our food. And only after we got our food did our waitress pay attention to us by asking if we wanted drinks or anything else (aka run up the bill). Seriously I've had better service at Outback Steakhouse.

    Overall the food alone is worth the trip, but service was a huge disappointment.

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/28/2009

    This is not the place you want to go to if you intend to have a conversation without yelling.  Food is okay.  I had a selection of oysters which were delicious.  My husband ordered the ham sampler which was decent but not outstanding.  The pork belly was delicious but the potee was somewhat disappointing.  Our food was brought out in no particular order, oysters, ham, followed by side of collard greens and then our pork and potee.  Our small table for two was soon overcrowded with plates which I think could have been avoided had the timing of the food service been better.

  • 3.0 star rating
    1/20/2009

    Ok After reading all of the reviews on Yelp I decided to go anyway. But made my reservation for monday so I wouldn't have to wait an hour for my food.
    The atmosphere did have a hole medieval theme going with the long table in the middle and the booths were like stable when the close you in with the wooden door. The beer selection was great if you like designer Belgium beer. My date and I ordered the mussels, steak tartare, fine sliced ham,  and the Avalanche salad with pig ears. First of all the food was a little over priced and being originally from the South I do believe no small salad with pig ears should cost 6.00. We were told the portions would be family size but they were definitely tapas size. Though I admit everything was wonderful the prices on the menu was not. Isn't pork the cheapest meat you can buy?
    By the way even though we were there early monday evening the wait was still long to get your entrées.

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/5/2011
    1 check-in

    Places like this are the reason why the pig is my animal of choice as a carnivore. The menu is extensive. But I cannot tell a lie: our eyes gravitated to the Whole Hog Tasting Menu. "Surely, it'd be a sin to NOT order this," we thought. Loved the setting. Great, open atmosphere, not as cramped as Avec, for comparison. Extremely knowledgeable waiter; he knew the menu inside and out. The chef's selection of oysters: fresher than expected, delicious. The spicy pork rinds: best I've had in a restaurant setting by far, addictive (sorry, No. 1 vote still goes to my Grandma, RIP). One of the best and most extensive and diverse beer menus in any city I've been to in recent memory. The sweetbreads: yum yum yum. (My friend had never had sweetbreads before and he exclaimed, "This is what I've been missing?!") Scallops were really good. Then the Whole Hog (poached loin al' tonnato, tagliolini alla chitarra, spicy chorizo & rib tips, and figs): every item was salivatingly awesome and simply made. I couldn't pick a favorite dish. The experience as a whole was fantastic. It's like a symphony (a porcine one); the waiter's orchestration of the order of dishes was well done, each dish built upon the previous and was a set up for the next. You should not pass up on this, if you're dining in a group, two people, or alone. The dessert waffle was a really good and simple way to end it all. I must say, the communal bathroom concept through me a curve, especially with all the alcohol in me. And when they brought the check? Cheaper than anticipated. If you haven't been, go. Seriously. Prepare to eat your body weight. And fall in love with the pig all over again.

  • 2.0 star rating
    8/23/2009

    This restaurant is interesting. On the outside the restaurant is very chic but on the inside it looks medieval. The tables are just a couple of very long tables so you have to sit next to people you dont know. They have lights streaming all over their ceiling and its a great place to chat and has wonderful ambience. Regarding the food, it was ridiculously expensive. So my friends and I ended up sharing a bunch of meals. The only memorable meal I ate was the ham. I just remembered eating very little and pay a lot. I also saw a few famous chefs dining their, so it's probably because we didn't choose the best because it was so expensive.

  • 2.0 star rating
    10/30/2009

    My 8 pm reservation had us ordering at 9:06pm.  The food was tasty, and the beer was fresh, that is when we could manage a server to come take our order. Twice I had to ask for service after waiting 20 mins for drinks and the same for a table server.  Pretty unacceptable for a place that serves $23 8 oz portions, tasty as they be.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

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  • 5.0 star rating
    9/19/2010

    I've now been to Publican for dinner and brunch and I can't say which I enjoy more. I was there for dinner over a year ago but I'm still dreaming about the pork belly. You can cut it with a spoon and it feels like it melts in your mouth. For a former vegetarian I really enjoy a meal of meat, and the Publican is the place to go. I had the scrapple for brunch, and my party shared the frites with a fried egg as well. Everything is simple, but unique and delicious. You don't have to dissect your food to figure out what it's comprised of, but it's also never anything you could easily make at home. They have unique brunch beverages and their coffee is delicious. And I absolutely love the booths with the barn doors! You can keep out the riff raff and really feel like you're in your own little restaurant. I can say if you're a vegetarian or only eat fish/chicken, this might not be the place for you. My fiancé got the meatless omelet which looked tasty, but you definitely want to at least be able to sample all the porky deliciousness.

  • 3.0 star rating
    9/15/2009

    Honestly.. meh.. dont see what all the fuss is about.  The food is OK  I liked the fried egg on fries thing.  And while its somewhat worth the money.. its also somewhat overpriced.   Buit the place is crowded so they must be doing something good.   Also our server was a little pretentious too when we said we couldnt eat our dinner and wanted to take our food home or give it to a homeless person she visibly cringed at the though.. which I thought was offensive... so.. meh.

  • 3.0 star rating
    12/29/2008

    After hearing and reading SO MUCH about this place, I finally tried it out on a Monday night with a few friends. I was not impressed at all.

    Food - We tried our best to order a varity (which was hard on a menu showcasing 10 different pig body parts). We ended up ordering the heirloom apple salad, aioli, scallops, farm chicken, 3 hams, and a vegetarian entree...all were ok..but nothing special. Surprisingly, my veggies turned out to be the best dish. Overall, the flavors were too rustic and not interesting in any way.  Our waiter made it a point to emphasize the use of "local" fresh ingredients. Thanks, but I don't really need to know proximity of their slaughterhouse...what century is this...meat is supposed to be a mysterious yummy phenomenon...I find the details a little too disturbing . I was expecting better from the Avec/Blackbird team. I mean...seriously...at least get the food right.

    Ambiance/Decor- I commend the effort to create something unique...but the ideas were not executed tastefully. I felt like I was at a farm house. It all seemed  a little too tacky and lacked any sophistication whatsoever. I got the impression that they were trying too hard and allowed their creativity to override practicality and good sense. Also, I'm thinking communal dining isn't as cool as they think.  Dimmer lighting could have made a huge difference.

    Service - Friendly...but a bit juvenille. p.s. the butcher get ups are not hip.

    Bottom line, this place did NOT live up to all the hype (i give three stars because i've never given anyting lower...what can i say...i'm too nice).

  • 4.0 star rating
    9/13/2009

    WOW. Meat. Beer. Our waiter was such a pro. You don't get service like that very often. We had the Potée. Delicious. Next time I'm in Chicago I will make a point of coming back.

  • 5.0 star rating
    1/2/2009

    Went here on New Year's Day, and had a fantastic experience from the minute we walked in.  The waitress was very knowledgeable; she knew the menu inside and out. answered our questions and went to the kitchen to find out about specific ingredients.  She was able to offer good ideas on ordering since the portions tend to vary according to the dish.  We ordered the steak frites, rapini, whole striped bass and red snapper (served sashimi-style, a nice surprise and REALLY yummy), as well as 2 desserts:  ginger stout cake and the waffle with honey butter.  We loved EVERY bite, not one complaint!  The overall service was timely and friendly.  It probably helped that we were there on NYD and the house wasn't packed.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/19/2011

    OK, Publican, you deserve my 5 stars.  Our service was quick but not intrusive.  The cutie that delivered most of our plates looks an awful lot like Adrian Grenier.  We had the pickles (good, but a little sweet and similar across the board), the pork rinds (very crunchy, just OK tasting for me), mussels (love mussels, and the sauce was soaked up and delivered to my mouth with delicious crusty bread), the asparagus (GET THIS!!  I never thought I could be so excited about asparagus!) and the pork belly (yum, yum!  Best described by Kristin as candied pig love).  Between dinner and dessert (the waffle, definitely not IHOP-style, this was light, fluffy, amazing, I wish I could have put the little bit we couldn't eat in my pocket), we had Roger Mooking and Aaron Sanchez come by our table and introduce themselves.  Maybe it was the star-struck look on my face?  They were so, so nice.  I know I'm a nerd and that's A-OK with me.

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/17/2010

    My husband and I went there for a CBC event that involved tapping beers from Three Floyds, Stone, and Dogfish Head.  It was our first time and we had a fantastic experience.

    First off, their service is top notch.  Because of the special event, the place was quite crowded.  Despite that, we were really well attended to and the service staff met our every need, including re-routing our charcuterie plate when we moved from the bar to a table.  I also recall seeing the staff hand out beer tastings to patrons that were in the waiting area.  They know how to keep the customer happy.

    Since we were there for the special beer tappings, we knew we were in for a treat with the beer - so I cannot comment on their normal beer selection.  I'd imagine it would be tasty.

    The food was awesome.  Everything on the menu looked amazing and of course we ended up ordering way too much.  We started with the charcuterie plate which was way better than any other restaurants' boring selection of salami and soppressetta.  Our plate had pork pie, head cheese, and a bunch of sausage we didn't recognize.  And the best part is they make all of it in-house.

    Next up were oysters.  We didn't know much about the different oceans and seas they came from, but each oyster was a little different and all were super fresh and tasty.  We had some grilled ramps to check of the veggies for the night and then finished off with a seafood stew.  The stew was awesome - they did not skimp on the seafood part.  The mussels in the stew were the largest mussels I have ever eaten.

    We'll be back - definitely a fantastic place if you like meat and beer. And who doesn't?

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/5/2010 Updated review

    I had to give this restaurant another chance because it's right around the corner and because I love Paul Kahan.  My second time was much better.  I think they figured it out....worked out the kinks.  I'm still in love with the chef's selection of hams.  This time around the entrees didn't disappoint and were filled with flavor.

    3.0 star rating
    5/26/2009 Previous review
    I would rate my experience here as "ok".  The beer selection is fantastic and the chef's selection… Read more
  • 4.0 star rating
    12/11/2012

    I headed to the Publican on a Friday night with a group of friends.The atmosphere is definitely lively and loud, and it got louder as the night went on. We were seated at a booth, which allowed us to talk to each other with ease. If we had been seated at the massive communal table, I think we probably would have had difficulty carrying on a conversation. Our waiter was outstanding, and seemed so enthusiastic and was great in helping us make our beer selections. The food was good, with the menu being heavy on the pork with limited options for vegetarians. The sweetbreads seemed to be the favorite dish of the night, with the surprise of the night going to the fries with the fried egg on top, which we ordered based on the recommendation of our waiter. It just really worked, and I was happy we tried it. All in all, it was a great place to grab a great beer and chow down at the end of the week. I would go back in a heartbeat.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/8/2009

    We arrived on Monday night at 9p to a packed restaurant and were seated right away at a table for two by the window. A gastropub style restaurant in beer hall decor and ambience. We thoroughly enjoyed 2 orders of pork rinds, fries cooked in duck fat and served with an aioli, 2 orders of Lake Erie perch fry, pork country ribs, waffle with pear and honey butter, dark chocolate torte and a few beers. Everything was wonderful! Best meal while visiting Chicago.

  • 5.0 star rating
    4/2/2010

    Only tried brunch and only visited once so hate to give a five without more time.  But it was great - reasonable place, hearty, simple contemporary fare.

    Ricotta with honey and dates ... wow great light starter.  I had keilbasa with potatoes and egg  - really great.  My wife had a red wine poached eggs benedict, using prosciuotto as the meat.  Not sure the red wine poach added anything -but it was great.  tried the pork rinds just because, best for sharing with more than two folks - but great.  Only gripe is the little bottles of soda so they can charge you really high soda prices and then charge for each refill.  Eagerly looking forward to lunch.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/7/2011

    great selection of beers to try.  and the food is very solid.  i especially like the pork rinds (the only ones i'll eat) and the roasted chicken dish is incredibly juicy.  i'm a big fan.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/21/2009

    I love this restaurant.

    Its easy, casual, delicious, has a great beer list, and I can come in at 5, sit at the oyster bar and watch the kitchen work its magic.

    Paul Kahan is my hero, and the guys (and gals) in the kitchen are fantastic..

    My highlights? Pork Rinds, Frites (sans egg), mussels, oysters, pork anything.Go early, go with friends you see often - its communal seating, so you don't want to head here if you haven't seen someone in a while or for grandmas 70th birthday.  

    I prefer the bar, because I'm a sit at the bar kinda girl.

    If you appreciate food, my thoughts are that you will definitely appreciate publican.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/3/2010

    Let me jump on the bandwagon.   The friendly staff managed to squeeze us in one night when we stumbled in without a reservation.   Yes, I've been reading about Publican for the last year.  Yes, I forgot to make a reservation prior to our trip to Chicago.   Fortunately, they found space so that we could gorge on a delectable table of food. Mmmmmm....   We started with a big ol' plate of oysters and things just got tastier from there.   Some pork belly, some mussels, fresh ramps.   How do I love thee?  And I'm so glad I ordered the crisp and oddly addictive pork rinds.   Waitress helped pair us up w/ some good Belgian brews and brought out samples to help guide our drinking decisions.  I think we ordered more than that..but I'm getting forgetful in my old age.  Anyhow, I'd go back in a heartbeat.  Yum.  It actually lived up to its hype.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/18/2009

    I just ate here on Sunday, so family style dining only, but I thought it was very good. The beer list is outstanding, and this probably helps make the food taste better... just kidding. In addition to the fixed menu we ordered Oysters and a Pretzel. The oysters were very fresh, but the pretzel lacked in flavor and the mustard was a bit sweet for my palate. First on the menu was an heirloom tomato with basil, sourdough breading, capers, and vinaigrette salad which was outstanding! Next we had an oxtail and duck tortellini which was also very well done. The main course was a lamb and couscous dish that came with several sauces. Also, it came with these sweet black figs and they were sensational. Finally, for dessert, a white-peach doughnut was served. Essentially, it was some type of bread with a cream sauce and white peaches. I enjoyed it, but the peaches were so flavor full that the sauce kind of took away from the dish.

    Overall, this is a great place to go.... good beer and food. The only negative was that, for a place trying to present themselves as a "Pub," the $100 per person price tag is a little steep. Even still, I would definitely go back to order from their regular menu.

  • 2.0 star rating
    2/16/2009

    The service was lacking, rude at times, the food was just OK. We liked the beer options but were disappointed that most of the menu seemed to be unavailable the night we were there. The dishes we did have were fine but nothing special.  We did have one vegetarian dining with us and were surprised by the snotty response from our waiter when she requested a salad without meat.  He informed her that "the chef WILL NOT make the salad with out pigs ears". Really? Thanks for making the night awkward for our guest.

  • 3.0 star rating
    11/16/2009

    Great for appetizers and beers

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/13/2009

    Great decor. Endless drink list. Interesting food options, and surprisingly delish. Had sweet breads for first time. REALLY GOOD. Who would have thought?

  • 1.0 star rating
    12/29/2008

    We showed up at this restaurant with high expectations, given the quality at Avec and Blackbird.  Unfortunately, we were sorely disappointed.  We were told we would either have to wait for 40 minutes for a table (on a Monday night), or stand at the bar.  We chose the bar, but it still took the waiter a half an hour to take our beer order, and then they would only offer a very limited food menu at the bar.  By the time we actually got our beers, we had been there about an hour, and noticed several empty tables throughout the restaurant that they could easily have seated us at.  finally, we had to ask for our bill three times. I think there are plenty of other restaurants in Chicago I'd rather spend my time at.

  • 2.0 star rating
    6/19/2009

    Venue and ambiance in a word: UNIQUE.
    Service in a word: ATTENTIVE
    Food in a word: SALTY

    Publican is a really "cool" place that people should check out once. From the open communal dining hall with pig stalls along the side walls to the interesting bathroom arrangement. It is a different experience which I enjoyed. The service was excellent as well. Really played up to a "fine dining" billing without being too pretentious. Our waiter was attentive and seemed to know exactly when to come by to order another drink or bring the next course. He was extremely knowledgeable about the menu and the extensive beer list. And the spacing between the dishes were timed perfectly. Our dishes seemed to arrive immediately after finishing the previous dish without any delay or any backup. To sit and eat and drink for 3.5 hours was nice and not common nowadays.
    Now getting to why I just cant bring myself in rating this above a 2 star rating. The beers were excellent. Similar to Hopleaf in that you can try beers not often available at ur local grocers, they do compliment the dishes.... any beverage would. The 5 dishes we ordered were the trio ham starter, the frites with egg, the duck hearts, the potee, and the sea bass. All of them were uber salty. Painfully saltly. Waking up int he middle of the night 3 times to get water- kinda salty. Also the price points are ridiculous. For that amount of money there are much better places to dine. Hopleaf by comparison is much more reasonable in price while being equally salty.
    I suggest coming here to check it out. it is very unique in its build out and an interesting place to get a drink before going to eat an actual dinner. Service is great and you will feel well taken care of but the food is a complete miss. If you must eat something go for the frites with eggs. Definitely skip the ham app and the hearts. Your blood pressure will rise 100% after those two dishes.
    Overall, while the service and atmosphere did not disappoint the food did. And really food should be the main attraction. Thumbs down... dislike.

  • 3.0 star rating
    12/21/2009

    Good vibe, good quality food. A bit oversold but keeping expectations reasonable a very solid place to grab a good meal and have a few good beers

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/23/2009

    Great restaurant.  I understand the criticisms of the place....it is loud and you have communal seating.  If you can't handle those issues, the Publican is not the place for you.  BUT if you are a fan of seafood, the pig, and great beers, then this is the place for you.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/13/2009

    I'd definitely recommend the Publican. The service was really great and the food was delicious. Unfortunately I waited too long to write this so I don't exactly remember what we had....the pork dish with pork done several ways that was my favorite. The chicken that was highly recommended by in some article I read (Time Out Chicago maybe?) was not very special. I'm not much of a beer drinker and their extensive list overwhelmed me, so I went with wine. I love the location because it's easy walking distance to places like Fulton Lounge for after dinner drinks, not to mention my apartment. Also the night we were there they had all the doors open so the atmosphere was really nice.

  • 5.0 star rating
    9/10/2012

    My husband and I visited The Publican on a recent visit to Chicago based on the Eater 38 and a recommendation of a coworker.  It was awesome - by far my favorite restaurant of the trip with a fun atmosphere and great food.  We were just there for happy hour (and I wish we had stayed for dinner and cancelled our dinner plans, because The Publican was so much better), but we tried a few beers and a few dishes.  One thing that is great about The Publican is the beer menu - they have a really interesting selection of draught and bottled beers and the servers (and bartenders) are all very knowledgable about their offerings.  We tried 3 different beers - a milk stout and two pale ales.  One of the pale ales was so tasty (the Three Flyods Zombie Dust) that I had to order a second, rather than trying another beer.  Oops.  Then we tried the little gem salad (which comes with crispy pigs ears and radishes) and the charcuterie plate.  Both were absolutely outstanding.  The head cheese on the charcuterie plate was among the best that I have ever tasted and being an adventurous diner living in NYC, I run into head cheese a good bit.  They also served a deliciously porky sausage.  We also asked for bread and butter to eat with our charcuterie and you should do the same because their goat butter and peasant bread are yummy.  So if you like pork you should totally get the charcuterie.  The same goes for the salad - the crispy pigs ears were the perfect crispy, salty element.  They weren't overwhelmingly porky so don't worry about that.  They were perfectly balanced by the light and tangy buttermilk dressing and the crunchy, peppery radishes.  I loved this place and I can't wait to return to Chicago so I can check out more of the menu!

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/10/2009

    Go there now. Get the basque style bouillabaisse if they still have it. The boudin was pretty insane too. Beer list is pretty awesome and I remember their wine list consisted of a lot of new world which is always more fun. It could go into heavy rotation for us.

  • 3.0 star rating
    12/14/2011

    My husband loves this place and would probably give it 5 stars but for a girl (that used to be a vegetarian) that doesn't eat that much meat and doesn't eat fish/seafood, there is really not much here.  I love the beer and the ambiance but I left without taking more than 5 bites from any of the 10 dishes that our group ordered.  For you fish/meateaters, it is a great place to go, but for those on the finicky side, I would eat before you go and just enjoy the beer.

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/27/2009

    I kind of got a Sam I Am thing going-  I don't eat ham (green or otherwise) BUT I did the night we went here and sweet jesus was it good.  Really all the food we sampled that evening was excellent. It's pricey-which is fine for the quality- BUT the Beer list is a bit absurd- I don't need a 20 dollar beer no matter how wonderful it is.  I was drinking some 7 dollar beer, (can't remember what it was) and it was quite good, but I'd have been fine with a Bud or something.

  • 4.0 star rating
    8/12/2010

    Yummy, yummy, yummy, yummy, yummy!  My BFF planned an awesome birthday dinner for me here. I LOVED the food!  Everything we ate was great.  I especially liked the mussels, the flank steak, the corn, the tuna...uh everything.  Seriously.  It's served kinda family style.  You order a bunch of dishes and share.  It's a great way to be able to try a bunch of things.  All the plates are pretty unique and have a lot of style and flavor that you won't find at other restaurants, and that's what I loved most about this place.  The beer and wine list was nice.  I like the wood tones everywhere and the bathroom area is pretty cool.  Our server was good also.  The only downside is I think it was a little pricey for what you get.  Don't get me wrong,  I don't mind spending a decent chunk of change on dinner from time to time, but it was like spending entree-sized money on appetizer-sized plates.  Overall, I will definitely go back, in fact, I can't wait to!

  • 5.0 star rating
    11/28/2012

    I am always skeptical about trying restaurants outside of my NYC comfort zone.  The Publican proved to be a fantastic dining experience the Midwest and one that genuinely proved me wrong about what it means to dine outside of "the City".  The Publican is large and boisterous but not overly noisy.  We sat at a booth that had little hinged doors on the sides to make sure everyone was all tucked in.  I loved that detail!  Our waiter was extremely knowledgeable, patient, and well-spoken.  Everything we ordered was delicious.  The standouts were the chef's oyster selection which were fresh beyond belief, the chicken liver, and the roast chicken which was juicy, moist, and flavorful, clearly having been skillfully brined.  The fries with Louis egg were delicious, but I'm a sucker for a runny egg (me and Tony Bourdain).  My Old Fashioned was also well prepared and balanced.  I would definitely recommend The Publican and will be returning when I am next in Chicago.

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/24/2011

    Sat at the bar for dinner.  Overall a nice experience.  I love the casual yet sophisticated decor.  Very pork-centric menu, so if you are not into that sort of thing, then I would avoid it.  We shared the signature Little Gem salad which was very tasty w/ crunchy pig ears on top, the trio of three hams (nothing to write home about but good), and the Farm Chicken w/ pomme frites.  If I were rating on the food alone, I would give it a 3, but since the beer menu, the service, and the decor is exceptional, I will balance the rating with a 4 overall.

  • 2.0 star rating
    8/29/2009

    Meh....I've had better.  Plus what a disappointment coming from the people who run Avec and Blackbird, honestly I expected more.  First off, some of the food just plain wasn't good.  What was decent, I usually could think of somewhere else I had gone to that cooked it as good or better and for less.  For instance their mussels, they were fine, but Hopleaf, Bistro Campagna and Bristol all do it better....

  • 3.0 star rating
    5/23/2011

    The food was good but for the money you spend perhaps it isn't that good. I loved the Tuscan kale and the beet salad. The flavor of the country ribs was good but the meat was a little on the tough side. The chocolate budino was so-so. The porketta was maybe a little too fatty as well. The ham tasting was delicious though. Overall, the food is good but not great and you feel the amount of salt in the food. My feet swelled up big time. The beer selection was unmatched. I know they know their beer when they have Le Trappe Quadrupel.  Service was a little on the pretentious side. I felt our waiter was second guessing us and he made it seem like we had to know what everything on the menu was. He was suggesting poached salmon and I can't stand poached fish.  I hate that when they second guess you.  Some of the other waiters seemed more down to earth.  Ambiance was great but very masculine(?).  Good for dudes.  The communal tables are an interesting concept but might seem odd in a few years.  Some of the patrons sitting next to us were a little too loud and I don't mind that too much but might have been a little less noticeable if we had a separate table.  

    I would give it a 3.5 star but since it got pretty pricey, I will give it three.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/24/2009

    Meat packing district, family style dining, loads of specialty brews on tap and in bottles, valet parking, and a little shelf under your chair for your handbag (nice touch).  It could have been louder because of the set up, but it was managable to hear your table talking.  Roast chicken atop roasted potatoes, baby beet salad with a creamy ricotta side, roasted corn that makes my mouth water just thinking about it (how does corn taste so good?!), and many other reasons to come back here again and again.  (From the same folks who did avec and blackbird)

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/20/2009

    I'm a designer, and thus I have very specific ideas about restaurant decor...
    I would love this place if the decor weren't so full of compromise.  There's some straight out weird stuff (why make the people sitting in booths like like pigs in pens?  It's just cruel, not ironic),  and there's some strange decision to make the place LOUD and BRIGHT.  I guess that's meant to be fun?  And finally, brass?  Really?  Brass?  Again, is it meant to be ironic?  It just looks really cheap.
    Anyway, that aside, I think that the food was great.  Really great.  Reading other reviews, I think we hit some things that no one else seems to have mentioned, and I loved them.  For instance, the country-style ribs have been nicely brined and grilled, with a nice slaw.  Loved the ham platter, and really loved the Perch.  Fried food needs acid, and the pickles, especially the pickled apple slices, worked really well.
    Still a bit of a beer neophyte, our server was incredibly helpful in stearing us to good beers that paired really well with the food (Belgian style Saisons are new to me).
    Ah, to continue learning here, but alas Chicago is many miles away from home.
    Don't know that this will replace Avec for me (same owners) but it's good when you want something FUN (LOUD)!

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/25/2009

    the publican is currently my favorite restaurant in chicago. it looks awesome, the beer list is amazing and the menu is solid for meat eaters and those of us who only eat sea-related animals. the smoked fish- all of it- is ridiculous. the boiled crab with fingerling potatoes, spicy salsa and corn was practically a religious experience. black bass (the whole fish) was the best i have EVER had. mussels were super fresh but i wasn't inspired by the sauce, i thought it was a little on the watery side.
    yeah yeah yeah this place is expensive but i seriously put money aside so i can continue to go here. service sometimes is a little sketchy but every time there has been a mistake something free ends up on my table. can't complain!

  • 2.0 star rating
    11/20/2008

    After terrific experiences at both Blackbird and Avec, our first (and likely only) time at The Publican was a huge disappointment. Obviously, I knew the restaurant would be on the pricier side based on the owner's other restaurants, but $30 for three slices of ham? Come on!

    The mussels, which are supposedly one of their calling card dishes, were okay, but certainly nothing special. Most of the small plates, which are universally outstanding at Avec, were either unmemorable or just plain bad. The duck and pork confit had the consistency of dried out canned tuna. The fried walleye was quite good, but it's the only dish out of the seven or eight that we ordered that I remember really enjoying.

    I will say that the beer menu is outstanding, but, as someone already pointed out, the Map Room or any number of bars/restaurants in the city have outstanding beer lists (Jerrys, Bluebird, Sheffield's, Hop Leaf).

    Lastly, our waitresses (the two seemed to switch without explanation throughout the night) both seemed to convey a "Aren't you excited and privileged to get to be eating here" vibe, which was really irritating.

    Oh yeah, it was RIDICULOUSLY loud. Maybe the loudest restaurant I've ever been to.

    A return visit would maybe entail a beer and one or two dishes at the bar on a Tuesday or Wednesday night, but certainly nothing more.

  • 3.0 star rating
    12/12/2009

    Good food, great atmosphere, wonderful beer and an attentive staff.  Having said that, as my  wife said it kind of felt like an "overpriced turkey."   The sweetbreads seemed tasteless to me, but really enjoyed the flavoring and texture of the pork belly and the pork rinds were light and fluffy.   The cost of all this seemed very high though. I had a beer and my wife had only water and we were still spending around 90 for the two of us (no dessert either).

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/15/2010

    A fantastic experience!  The food and drinks were great!  A bloody mary comes with a brewed in house beer pairing.  Make reservations, the place gets packed.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/13/2011

    Fantastic oysters, buratta, fun ambiance.

  • 3.0 star rating
    11/11/2011

    Been here a few times.  I have had a few great dishes, but more mediocre dishes.  Not sure why this place gets so hyped.  Service was good.  Heard their brunch is great, I will try it, and dinner again.

The Publican - 1417 Photos - American (New) - Fulton Market - Chicago, IL - Reviews - Menu - Yelp
 

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  • Start your review of The Publican.

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  • 3.0 star rating
    12/1/2009

    The food here was very good, you have to get the pork rinds if you decide to go, They were melt in your mouth fantastic. Other items that were delicious were the muscles, radishes,and the daily pickles.
    Our server was nice, very attentive and seemed to know a lot about the menu, he was helpful. I also enjoyed the space it's huge, with large pictures on the wall of fat pigs and so many hanging lights I lost count.
       The reason I gave this restaurant a three star is because of the horrible busers. They were in our face every moment to clear just one glass, or one fork. me and my party did not enjoy our meal because of them, they were always in our face interrupting our conversation it was horrible. It was like they were trying to hurry us out but there were no parties waiting to be seated. One of the women that I was eating with was still eating a piece of bread and one of the busers took the plate from right underneath her. I work in the industry and I understand being efficient but this was just rude. I would not go back just in fear that I would get as angry as I was that night. My meal was ruined. Good luck!

  • 4.0 star rating
    7/25/2009

    I liked this place - awesome beer list, great food - all from small purveyors, much of it sustainable. The mussels beurre blanc were excellent, as were the fresh oysters. We also tried a number of meat and fish dishes - which were all good. Didn't get to the charcuterie - next time.  Had the waffle for dessert - simple with compote and honey butter. The ambience was also great - full house. Will be back undoubtedly.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/13/2011

    my boyfriend and i finally checked out the publican for dinner tonight.
    perfect place for a date. we came here for a double date.

    when you walk in, the restaurant looks very spacious, clean and dim.
    thennnnn, we were seated in a 4 top booth which had doors that kept us enclosed. weird concept. i know that the publican is known for pork so i felt like a pig in a pen. :(
    that was a little weird. especially for someone who's a little claustrophobic.

    we started off with drinks. i had red wine (the grinder, pinotage), great to pair with all the meat you'll devour. my boyfriend had some type of beer that's like a guiness. both drinks were suggested by our waiter that knew his selection of beer and wine very well. he did a very good job with his recs. :)

    appetizers:
    -the taste of three hams (compliments of one of the employees at the publican!) which is basically three different types of prosciutto and a couple slices of bread with a side of butter. all three were good but i liked the salty one the most.
    -chef's selection of a dozen oysters. YUMMO!
    i love oysters! especially when it's so fresh you don't need to dunk it in cocktail sauce. hehe a drop of lemon is all you need.

    main entrees:
    (we were told each entree was enough to serve family style so we shared everything. and it was more than enough.)
    -country ribs. it was ok. honestly, i'm not much of a pork fan. i'll eat it if it's in front of me, like anything else. i thought it was a bit dry on some ends and some of the meat by the bone was a little pink. i'm not sure if that's normal.
    the country ribs were topped with treviso, celery and pistachio salsa verde. that was really good.
    -(whole) farm chicken with frites. TO DIE! next time i come back, i'm definitely ordering this all for myself. i heard their frites are really good. and it sure as hell is!! i think everyone during dinner thought the same thing. we all had a good portion of frites before we devoured the chicken. chicken was well cooked. super juicy and bursting with flavour everytime you take a bite of it! wow. my mouth is watering just thinking about this chicken. i highly recommend this dish and you will not be disappointed.

    dessert:
    the dessert menu is limited to only three items.
    nothing was appealing to me. we had a choice between apple donuts, waffles or chocolate lavender pie with ice cream.
    i don't really like donuts and i don't really like waffles. i love chocolate so i settled for the chocolate dessert.
    it tasted more like caramel than lavender to me. everyone else at dinner said they could taste lavender with the after taste. me, not so much. just caramel and chocolate. i was intrigued by the description on the menu but disappointed that i could not taste lavender! :(

    oooh and the bathroom.
    i was a little weirded out again.
    it is a communal bathroom with a communal sink, super dim lights, no mirrors because it is inside the bathroom stalls.
    this weirded me out even more because i came out of the bathroom stall the same exact time as another male across from me.
    we both headed to the communal sink, washed our hands and everything was so sync and just plain weirddd.
    i think i'll avoid using the restroom during my next visit. hehe

    my overall experience at the publican was good.  service is great. food was good. we didn't pay an arm and a leg for a meal. they have an extensive menu of beer and wine.
    i heard brunch is really good here too. i'll be back for brunch!

  • 4.0 star rating
    10/3/2011

    Went here for Sunday Brunch. NIce atmosphere. Lots of nice people. I had the red wine poached eggs, which were awesome, but my toast was a bit on the burnt side. Bloody Mary and beer were VERY good. Service was also nice....the server forgot my friends fried eggs w/ frites and comped us a few nice breads and sides.  I would go back again.

  • 2.0 star rating
    2/14/2009

    Good location and ambiance, ok food.  
    Went there for an early Valentine's and after hearing all the buzz we were very excited to try it out.  The dining area is one large room w/long communal wooden tables and side booths that look like barn stalls- it was much nicer than it sounds.  Great lighting and pig paintings.
    Our bussers were amazing- very attentive and polite- never had an empty water glass or a dirty fork.  Our server was bad.  He was nice enough, but never around- I ended up w/o a drink w/our main courses b/c we couldn't find him anywhere.  
    We ordered 2 apps and 2 entrees, way too much food for 2, btw (we asked the server and he said the plates were very small, so it wouldn't be too much).  The mussels were good, but nothing spectacular or different.  The ham plate (w/all 3) was very good- shaved thinly, lots of different flavors and nice bread.  The 1/2 chicken was fine, but over seasoned- delicious fries and summer sausage.  The ribs are tasty, but don't expect a typical plate of ribs- no bbq sauce here.  They are 2 boneless seared fatty cuts of pork, that are delicious- but it's more fat than meat.  We were both disappointed with the experience.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/26/2009

    Certainly a carnivore's dream! the pork belly here is about as good as it gets. Other notables include the potee, mussels, and roasted chicken. The beer list is quite impressive....the servers are quite knowledgeable about what the beers are like so its easy to make a good decision. I would only caution that the servers seem to always direct you toward the $30/bottle beers...

  • 3.0 star rating
    2/13/2009

    So I was pretty jazzed for this place, and it pains me to rate it 3 stars.  It is what it is.  Four of us went to try the Sunday night 4 course prix fixe family style menu.  I went with a chef friend of mine who did some snout to tail stuff at his place, so again . . high expectations.

    We make reservations for the Sunday night (which is I think the only night you can make reservations. . .not sure. . ) but we make them for 6:30.  We agree to show up a bit early to try the beer menu.  It is very good to be sure.  Great selection of imports and locals.  We stand at the high-tops and get a beer.  We finish our beers and. . . nothing.  No one comes back to see how it's going, refills (and trust me, we wanted a refill).  We grab a random hostess and she does get us another round, we also mention that we're ready to sit whenever.  It's near 6:30. . . .nothing happens.  In about the time we are waiting the place goes from 2 diners, to 50.  We are completely ignored.  Go ask the host whats up?  Sorry just a few minutes is the reply. . ok.  So finally the wanna-be Vincent Chase host comes over (it's 6:45), "hey really sorry, but we just sold out of the menu, but you can order all the apps you want!"

    excuse me?  WTF?  I almost did not believe him, so we sat.  So they sold out the entire menu while we were standing there?  It would be okay had we not had reservations but this is BS! Talked it over, decided we were about to leave when the waiter came over.  He had not heard that they were out of meals.  He seems distraught and goes to find the manager.  At this point we were thinking these people have no idea what they are doing.  He comes back and recommends we get a couple apps and 2 orders of the tasting menu.  We oblige kind of knowing what happened.  bottom line though it was not nearly enough food and we kinda got screwed.  

    ok all that being said, they definitely made up for it when it came to the bill and a couple free rounds.  so they knew they messed up and they did the right thing.  2 stars turn into 3, a-ok.  The manager and waiter were very nice about it all.  

    ok but now for the food.  i was expecting to be BLOWN AWAY.  eh.  sliced ham and oysters. . . sure anyone can bring that in, shave some and put it on a plate.  i do it all the time at home.  any restaurant can bring in some kumamotos too.

    so 4 course tasting menu.  . .first of all, as mentioned above we kinda got screwed on the portions so I literally got a taste of all this, maybe more would have helped.  salad and roast vegetables, ok.  whole bass, yeah ok.  rabbit stew, eh.  ginger cake, ok.  nothing stood out and nothing even came close to blowing me away.  totally underwhelmed.

    oh yeah and they were surprisingly out of 2 or 3 wines or beers on the menu as well.  it took some asking and trial and error with the waiter before finding something they actually had in that night.

    sorry publican, you had your chance and I'll probably give you another one.  but when two chefs show up and thats what you pull out. . . well.  you get 3 stars.  get it together Vince.

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/23/2009

    Fantastic!  Highly Recommend!  Great concept.  Amazing design.  Great food.  Amazing Beer selection.  Don't like communal tables in general, but they are so integral to the concept that you end up wanting to share your food with your neighbors.   This is a restaurant that just get's it all right!

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/10/2009

    Have to give points for service as we got here early, told our waiter we had a deadline to get out for the Bulls game, and service ended up being timed perfectly so that no course was rushed, but we were out with time to spare.  

    The space is pretty different from places I'm used to going, and having lived in Germany, it does remind me of some sort of bizzaro German beer hall, but not a place I would describe as cozy.  The booth/cubbyholes were weird, but I liked them, whereas other hated them.  I can see how they would turn into a total pain in the ass as the place gets busier and opening their doors blocks the aisles, probably slowing down service.  The space was interesting, at least.  I felt like I was eating in the future!  

    The food overall was solid, I'd give good marks to the pickles, pork rib and steak tartare and awesome marks to the fried pork skins app and the whole chicken.... mmm so good.  

    The beer list seemed pretty interesting.  I saw some of my favorites on there, but I steered away from them to try something new, a Rochefort 10 which was pretty good.  The wine ordered by the rest of the table seemed to impress too.

    Overall we missed the "wow" factor that would have made this a 5-star review for me, but I would definitely return in the future (to feel like I'm eating in the future).

  • 3.0 star rating
    6/15/2009

    I don't really get the hype about this place. OK, so I don't eat any pork product and I can't understand the pork craze that has been popular lately but I suppose it's nice for pork enthusiasts to have a very nice restaurant to go to to get their pork fix. Great beer list, just OK on the wine and the only real complaint was their dessert menu...it hardly exists. I would imagine it's not even necessary after a full pork meal, I think most people roll out of this restaurant. I had the beet salad and it was very good. The space is very unique and appealing but there is no way I will return. Sorry Publican.

  • 2.0 star rating
    9/15/2011

    This was about my 5th time here and I finally feel compelled to write because I've had the same experience all five times.  Yes, the pork belly is great but it's just not worth the hassles of going to this place.  

    Forget a leisurely dinner - we were terribly rushed even though the place was half empty and not full even by the time we left at 8:30.  Maybe we were too old or not hip enough and they wanted us out quickly. Five of us dined last night (Wed. night) and at 7 it was about half full.  We were told the booths were reserved (even though some booths remained empty at least up until we left) and given seats at the communal table.  As always, it was really, really loud - we couldn't hear across the table (that's why we like the booths). We were hugely rushed throughout the entire meal from the minute we sat down - we requested that they slow it down to no avail.  As soon as we were seated the waiter did his spiel (before we had a chance to look at the menu) and he returned twice in the next 5 minutes to ask if we were ready to order - no time to even read the menu or discuss choices.  We asked for suggestions and he read off just about the entire menu - not helpful.  The wine was aggressively poured (we were quickly asked if we wanted another round as soon as the little carafes were empty even though our glasses were full - we had to ask them to stop pouring for us).  Feeling badgered, we hastily ordered (all dishes together at Publican's request even though it's small plates to share), and most of the dishes came all together in less than 15 minutes from when we walked in - we again told them it was coming too fast and to slow it down - they apologized and paid no attention.  

    On the food, the veal brains and sweetbreads were greasy and tasted only of "fried" - I think the oil temp was too low.  Overall opinion on pork rinds - they tasted like cheetos and the ones you buy in packages at corner liquor stores are better - more crunchy.  The smelts were good, the salads were good (squash and a tomato salad), the potee was great, the blood sausage was good...pork belly and bread pudding to die for.   Hint:  when they ask for your credit card on reservation and tell you they'll charge $25 per person if you cancel or if someone doesn't show, just tell them forget it - you'll go elsewhere.  They relent and take your reservation.

    At a price point of about $70/person with 2 glasses of wine each and about 2-3 small plates per person, this is a steep price to pay for a loud, rushed, only partly good dinner.  I will stick to Maud's or Girl and the Goat from now on - they seem much more happy to have my business, and without an attitude.

  • 5.0 star rating
    10/18/2011 Updated review

    What a turnaround! We decided to give The Publican a shot for brunch and were absolutely blown away. Our server was wonderful. We got the waffle and the quiche which were amazing. The waffle was light and fluffy and the quiche had great flavors. Even the salad that came with it was delicious. Drinks, the poppyseed cake, and the doughnut were all fantastic as well. I know we will definitely be back for more!!

    2.0 star rating
    9/25/2011 Previous review
    Our experience at The Publican was just okay. We got reservations on a Saturday and were seated… Read more
  • 5.0 star rating
    10/15/2011

    This place is awesome, usually super-packed though.  Nothing wrong with grabbing a seat and eating at the bar, I actually think I prefer it to the communal tables.  Anyway, excellent beer selection, loved the spicy pork-rinds, & sweetbreads were melt in your mouth greatness.  I want to go back ASAP.

  • 5.0 star rating
    12/5/2009

    I had been wanting to eat at the publican forever...

    last night, i had that opportunity, and my expectations we blown out of the water.

    here is a running list of what we had at the table:

    pork rinds
    oysters
    fried perch
    little gem salad
    country ribs
    suckling pig
    potee (sausage, pork tenderloin, pork shoulder)
    waffle dessert
    chocolate panna cotta
    french pressed coffee

    Everything, even down to the coffee, was the best version of that dish I have ever had. the only negative about the menu was that they were out of the crab. they only had 6 to start the evening and they sold out. i guess that is also a testament to the dish.

    The pork rinds were warm and fluffy, and the seasoning on them is amazing. My friend actually and accidentally figured out that the vinaigrette served with the oyter is fantastic on the pork rinds.

    The oyster was smooth and soft and slightly creamy and sweet. No fishy taste or smell. We only had one oyster each because we are inexperienced with oysters. but, the publican made me a fan.

    the friend perch was flaky and light, but the flavor was amazing...with the battered and fried lemon slices and the homemade tartar sauce, you can't go wrong with this dish. the waiter advertised it as an appetizer, but there is enough food for it to be an entree, as my wife has it that way.

    the fries and eggs...the fries were the best fries i've ever had, and when mixed with eggs sunnyside up, it is such an outstanding side dish. easy to split this side dish between 4...there is a lot of food on the plate.

    country ribs were nice and smoky, and it was refreshing to be able to actually taste the ribs. not slathered in bbq sauce and over flavored, the ribs really stand out with the grapfruit salad it comes with.

    the suckling pig is soft and tender enough to make into pulled pork, but, once again, it was nice to taste the pork.

    the potee was the best dish on the table as it offered a nice sampling of the pig...the animal that is practically worshipped there.

    the pork tenderloin was cooked perfectly: soft, tender, and so full of flavor. the pork shoulder was buttery when you got a nice bite of the pork fat. and the sausage was good. i'm not a big fan of sausage dishes, so that was the one thing didn't care too much to eat, but it was still fantastic.

    the waffle was great, but i am allergic to honey so i couldn;t have the butter.

    and my wife literally danced in her seat as she ate the chocolate panna cotta.

    even the french pressed coffee was the best coffee we have ever had.
    strong, and bold, but not a punch in the face.

    oh, a final word on the atmosphere...

    the waiters are extremely nice and informative.most importantly, they are not pretentious and are very willing offer their opinions. there are things on the menu that you may not know what they are, but the waiters wont judge if you ask them.

    the host and hostesses where so nice and took care of our coats while another hostess walked us to a freestanding tiable near the bar to familiarize ourselves with the beer list and have a round before the dinner.

    it is a modest place, with a lot of wood.  the only thing about the place that is to be disliked, overall, is the noise. it is quite loud, but i think that is part of the experience.

    next time i'm hoping to sit in one of the enclosed booths that resembles an animal pen.

    I've already got my next meal planned for when we go back,  (oysters, ham plate, charcuterie plate, beef cheeks) and the truth is...i'd give up all of my christmas presents to go back again tonight.

  • 2.0 star rating
    9/6/2011

    A bit disappointed - I've heard all the hype and since it was a Monday night, perhaps they had their 'B squad' working but service was terrible - slow, unfriendly and not helpful which is needed for the interesting menu. Food was decent but over priced for the portion size. Couldn't help but think maybe we ordered the wrong items ... if only our waitress would have helped. I did enjoy their new take on a squid dish but that's about it and just skip dessert all together - $8 for a sliver of cheese (that should have been served with the ham plate in the first place)

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/21/2009

    Absolutely the best.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/20/2011

    I went here thinking that it may be another overpriced, hyped up restaurant in Chicago and came out loving basically every item I ate. My fiance and I went with another couple, which is definitely the way to go because we were able to try more of the menu while maintaining a relatively inexpensive bill. The menu changes every day I guess so I don't know what will be there when I go again, but the ribs were the best I have ever eaten. In addition, we were placed in a stall so that we could have some privacy although sitting at the long tables would have been delightful! Finally, the beer list was extensive with some great labels.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/19/2011
    1 check-in

    I'm a foodie and this place is hands-down a 5 star place.  The food was outstanding, and we ordered quite a mixture of pork, fish, and veggies.  There was nothing that we tried that wasn't outstanding. Service was great, atmosphere was enjoyable too.  A must go for Chicagoans!

  • 5.0 star rating
    5/19/2010

    A temple to beer, pork, and oysters.  Great gastropub atmosphere.

  • 4.0 star rating
    11/5/2009

    My husband and I went here about a week ago, really excellent food, however, not the most ideal date night spot. It was great to be taken care of by the wait staff, but at times we felt like we couldn't have a conversation because there were so many waiters/bussers etc. at our table at all times. My biggest issue was our busser kept coming to our table to clean it asking "more food coming"? So that he could bring us more plates. I felt that they should have been communicating with the waiter, as it really did interrupt our conversation at least once every 5 minutes. Food was undeniably good however, the frites with egg cooked in beef lard were unbelieveable, as was the Potee. I would highly reccommend for a casual dinner with friends...too loud for an intimate date.

  • 4.0 star rating
    3/2/2009

    The Publican has a bit of pretense as some of these other reviews mention. But it's just enough to make it credible. The menu is hit or miss, but when they hit, they're homeruns. The must haves: mussels, frites with egg, and spicy pork rinds (no, really). The ambiance is great as long as you understand you're in a Euro beer house. That said, the point about the lighting is valid: cool idea, bad execution. All in all, this is a fun place to make a night of your meal and much of the food and beer list kick-ass. Just know what you're getting into when you sign up.

  • 3.0 star rating
    4/23/2009

    Went here last night and as everyone has been saying it was Pork galore! There was a halibut on the menu which looked good--regretting not trying it! Anyways we ordered (in order of favorites) three hams, pork rinds, rilette, pickles, potee, and sweetbreads( my least fave of the night and I do like sweetbreads, just not from here). If there are only two of you going, I would ask for a two top table when you make reservations--it makes the experience that much better!

  • 2.0 star rating
    4/11/2011

    Over rated and over priced.  Does not live up to all the hype

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/13/2009

    Being long standing fans of Avec, trying Publican went without saying and our expectations were high.  We absolutely loved our evening there and they exceeded our expectations and then some...
    Getting out of the cab, and seeing it for the first time, it's bigger than I had expected and the rows and rows of giant ball lighting was a stunning impression.  We were greeted by 3 friendly host staff and taken to one of the 2-tops. Our immediate impression was how loud it was. I mean, it is loud. But I think that's part of the fun and intrigue...and after downing a few amazing beers recommended by the knowledgeable and passionate "beer sommalier, well you don't care about the noise and you couldn't imagine it any other way. We had oysters, grilled octopus (amazing), pork rinds (delightful airy puffs of flavor and terrific with beer-a must), followed by the charcuterie plate with Foie, pork pie, lovely pickled peppers, and the winner of the evening---the HEAD CHEESE! oh lord, that's all we've been talking about all day, what a terrific surprise and full of memorable flavor. The repect for the pig is truly reflected in that delicious slice of meaty heaven. (drooool).
    We ended up splitting the Braised pork ribs with homemade turnip kimchee and freckles of textural and sweet pomegranate.  Another wonderful addition to the evening and some of the best kimchee I've ever had (and will try to find a recipe for).

    Looking forward to going back again soon, these guys hit it out of the park in service, design, and cuisine.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/24/2009

    Curried pork belly is delicious. ham plate left more to be desired. different atmosphere, cool restrooms!

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/16/2011

    great food, although I always seem to spend more money there than I think I am spending...if that makes sense???

  • 5.0 star rating
    8/31/2011

    You don't get much better than this.  Reasonable prices for amazing food, great service, awesome beer and wine, cool atmosphere, and so on.

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/11/2009

    We had a reservation for a late dinner for four last night.  We were up for some drinks, so decided to head there early and hang out in the bar area.  The place was packed when we arrived at around 7:30, so we told them we were early for our reservation, but wanted to have a few drinks at the bar.  They escorted us to the bar area and even directed us to a half-empty table being occupied by a couple other patrons (it was the only space available).  Within a few minutes though, the other patrons left so we were able to enjoy our own table in the bar area.  We decided to order some beer since they had an extensive list to choose from.  Since I'm more of a wine connoisseur than a beer expert, I needed some guidance on what to pick.  Our waitress patiently and expertly walked through the dozen or so draught beers on the menu.  We all made our selections based on her descriptions and were all very pleased with our choices.  We also decided to get some oysters as well, and our waitress again expertly walked us through our choices.  Again, we were very pleased with what we received.  

    When it came close to the time for our reservation, another staff member found us at our bar table and informed us that we would be seated soon.  He also told us that it would be no problem to transfer our bar tab to our dinner tab.  After a few minutes, we were seated in one of the enclosed booths.  Frankly, we liked the privacy and didn't feel closed in at all.  In fact, the doors may have actually protected us from a spill that happened adjacent to our booth.

    For dinner, we ordered a bottle of wine from their wine list (a decent, though limited, selection of mid-priced wines with a high proportion from South America) that went well with our family-style meal that included the sardines, mussels, crab legs, aged ham, potee, and tuscan kale.  We thoroughly enjoyed everything we ordered, again selected with the help of our very knowledgable and helpful waiter.

    So in summary, I was very happy with the quality of our food and drinks and extremely pleased with the service we received.  I would highly recommend a visit here, ideally with a group of four so you can easily share multiple dishes around the table.

  • 2.0 star rating
    2/15/2010

    not really sure what the big whoop was all about.  only the mussels and pork belly were good. here's what our table of 6 thought about the rest:

    spicy pork rinds - not spicy at all, frito lay does it better and cheaper
    lamb kidney - gross. anthony bourdain and andrew zimmern make people think this shiz is tasy but it ain't. you don't have to make it gross and exotic to make something taste good. what happened to the good ol' reliable chicken leg?
    country ribs - too much gristle
    ham 'n hay or some sh*t - it was just soft ham. and the beans tasted like flowers.
    little gem salad - pig ears ain't all that. chewy and flavorless. whatevs.
    fries with egg - that's all it is.

    our waiter was friendly but a different server knocked over our pork rinds and didn't apologize, she almost blamed it on us when it was her wrist that pushed it over. then with her bare hands she put the rinds from the table (which i hope was disinfected prior) on our plates. sick. however, when the co-owner of the joint arrived, all of a sudden she was all smiles. behtch.

    i'm a pretty adventurous eater but i don't think you should try so hard or pick nasty organs to make a menu interesting and tasty.  the purple pig did some weird stuff but they executed it deliciously, why can't the publican?

    on a side note, the people watching was pretty interesting.  a lot of grinders out there in chicago.  strange, strange folks.  the evening was crazier than an episode of twin peaks.  dang.

  • 4.0 star rating
    2/21/2011
    1 check-in

    The fact that Publican failed to land a Michelin star leaves me questioning the critics more than the restaurant.  The food here is rustic and simple fare at its best.  It's rare to find a venue where the dishes get better with each visit.   I've found that the simpler the item reads on the menu, somehow the more amazingly good it is. We ordered the grilled pork ribeye as a "filler" towards the end of our meal and ended up fighting over who would be the lucky stiff to savor the last bite.  This is also the best place in town to slurp down freshly shucked oysters.  I have experienced some misses.  Sweetbreads were spongy and far from the best I've had.  No one in our party of 4 was eager to finish the Hamachi Crudo.  Despite the countless number of beers offered, somehow I always expect a little bit more out of the swill.  Guess I'm not a fan of trappist style beer, but then I always enjoy the selection at Hopleaf.  Love what I'd describe as a new American tapas style format to this place.  Family style small plates so that sampling and sharing is implicit.  Some might consider the atmosphere and decor here to be drab, but I for one find the butcher hall communal seating and washroom format to be whimsical, festive, and fitting.

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/25/2008

    We arrived at shortly before 7pm on a Friday. We were seated immediately. Service was great with a whole cast of people attending to our dining needs. Food was good... the muscles were cooked to perfection. The fries were tasty too. The beer menu is extensive with more brews than food. We'd probably go back if in the area.

  • 5.0 star rating
    6/16/2009

    Best waffle ever! (Availalble for brunch or dessert.)

  • 4.0 star rating
    12/20/2008

    The potee was awesome! I'm still craving it 2 weeks later! It included pork tenderloin, pork belly and pork sausage. We also got a butternut squash 'ravioli' that was good and a seafood stew which was okay but not great. Service was okay but a little spotty.

  • 5.0 star rating
    2/7/2009

    Had dinner here last night. Amazing. I was nervous as I had read some bad reports about service, but we had no problems. The bussing service was amazing -- Alberto was Awesome. Jennifer, our waitress, was really friendly and knowledgeable. They seem to have maybe one or two few waiters for the number of tables, but Jennifer always said "thanks for waiting" if she took slightly too long to get back to us, so you knew she was doing her best.

    On to the food. OOoooh the food. Wow. My bf had two oysters, which he loved (the kumamoto and the beau soleil), we then had the mussels.. wow. We actually just got back from a trip to Belgium and these mussels knocked the socks off of any that we had (and paid a lot more for) in Belgium. They are cooked in gueze, a type of belgian lambic, and herbs and i could have drank the sauce straight it was so delicious. We next had the veal brain. Outstanding again. And we ended with the rillettes. I am a huge fan of rillettes and this one did not let me down. we both thought it worked better without the bread, perhaps slicing the bread slightly thinner would work better, but it was still spectacular.

    We were also both really impressed with the beer menu. They have a lot of great beers on draught and tap and the draughts are pretty reasonably priced (~5-7 dollars). We ended the evening with the waffle (As suggested by Alberto :) ). It had an excellent texture, crispy but very light and fluffy inside, and some dessert wine that was also superb.

    Overall i can't say enough about this place. i am already excited to go back. Hooray for The Publican!

  • 4.0 star rating
    6/7/2009

    I went to the Publican for a bachelor party, and it was great.  The restaurant is located in the Fulton Market (west loop) amongst all the industrial meat packing companies.  You'll be overwhelmed with their beer menu, so be sure to ask the knowledgeable servers for their help.  The food is outstanding, but the menu is also complicated.  They recommend you order your food "family style".  So you choose a variety of dishes, and pass them around sampling a little bit from each...kind of like a tapas restaurant.  Everybody at my table went nuts over the pork belly, but my favorite was still the oysters....so good!

  • 4.0 star rating
    4/27/2010

    So THIS is how you do brunch?!  Arrived around 12:30 on a Sunday, maybe it was our lucky day but there was no wait for a party of three. We sat at the communal table;  I think the "pens" are a novel idea, but I'm not sure I'd personally want to be trapped in one. Felt friendly but not on top of our neighbors, extra points for providing individual chairs instead of communal benches, too.  The Publican does right by their Bloody Mary's. The original and the Moroccan carried some kick, both accompanied by an array of beer backs.  Standouts included the thick slab bacon and the red wine poached eggs with prosciutto (they sounded odd, they looked pink, magically the combo worked...well!) The French ricotta, honey, with beer bread, dates and pistachios was just enough sweetness and added a nice fluffy touch, and we rounded it out with the kielbasa and an order of pork rinds, which I begrudgingly admit were pretty tasty. I left feeling satisfied but not stuffed and I didn't even have to wait 45 minutes for eggs! I feel like I have to say something to even out the praise, so let's say the coffee was a a tad weak.

  • 3.0 star rating
    3/23/2009

    I was really torn what to rate Publican. On the one hand, some of the food was insanely good - the smoked trout was unbelievable, and the pork belly amazing. Some food was pretty good - the ribs were good, but overcooked (although the flavor made up for the slightly tough texture), the ham was good, but I have had better, and the oysters were good, but only insofar as they were good for Chicago standards. I suppose my biggest beef was the price - the food was good, but local produce should be good and flavorful - but the mark-up was insane.

    What let them down the most, though, was the service - absolute, total incompetent crap service. Our server ignored us for most of the night and when he did bother with us (we were a table of 10) he had us confused - we had worked out what we were going to share and what we were not, and told him so, yet he kept asking "for the table or for yourself" and "the man over there already ordered that." He also took 3 orders and left, and we had to go after him to tell him that 3 orders for 10 people was not sympatico. Then when the food came out it was a disaster - the dude who brought it to the table stood at the end whispering (literally!) "who had the oysters", when I said I didn't know, he'd have to ask up the table he just stood there and then loaded the food all in front of me! My husband also had to order his drink 3 times before it turned up.

    Publican - work it out - you have the potential to be good, don't screw it up with screwy servers. I won't be going back for a while that's for sure.

  • 5.0 star rating
    7/31/2010

    we had ridiculous oysters, amazing mussels, unbelievable roast chicken, over the top summer sausage, and life altering belgian beers. seriously, if you are in chicago, eat here... unless you are a vegetarian.

  • 2.0 star rating
    7/31/2011

    Really noisy, really really expensive, really small portions of pretty good food.

  • 4.0 star rating
    5/8/2009

    A definite downtown "foodie" hot spot.  Really enjoyed dinner here last night.   Our waiter was fantastic, very friendley and explained the menu well.  The menu is a bit overwhelming and has many things I had never heard of before.  But the waiter suggested many things and helped us understand everything.  We were not disappointed in the food; the pork rinds were seasoned perfectly, ahi tuna was so fresh and the skirt steak and seasonal vegetables were amazing.  I wasn't the biggest fan of the half chicken, because it was hard to eat, but glad I tried it anyway

    In general, really cool, unique spot -- haven't seen anything like it in Chicago.  The decor is simple, yet chic, and the bathrooms are really cool!  Food is tasty and encourages you to venture out and try new things.  I am excited to go back in the summer for their outdoor seating and try some more of the beers on their extensive list!